3703. “祂说, 我是耶和华你父亚伯拉罕的神” 表主, 那良善就源于祂. 这从以下事实清楚可知: 耶和华是主的神性存在本身, 主凭神性良善被称为 “亚伯拉罕的神”. 亚伯拉罕代表主的神性良善 (2172, 2198节). 由于神性良善是一切属天和属灵之善, 以及由此衍生的一切真理的源头, 所以此处经上说 “你 (即雅各) 父亚伯拉罕”, 而事实上, 以撒才是他父亲. 就内义而言, “父” 表良善, 这是因为良善是每一个事物存在的源头, 而真理则它借以显形的方法. 因此, 每一个事物都是从良善与真理的婚姻生出的. 无非由良善与真理的神圣婚姻构成的天堂本身就源于主里面良善与真理, 并真理与良善的神圣婚姻.

整个自然界中的每一个事物都涉及良善与真理. 因为天堂的属天和属灵的良善和真理在自然界被代表; 而主的神性良善和真理在天堂被代表. 由此明显可知, 良善就像父亲, 真理就像母亲; 故就圣言的内义而言, “父亲” 表良善, “母亲” 表真理. 事实上, 他们表示低级或衍生良善与真理所源于的良善与真理, 低级或衍生良善与真理相对来说如同女儿和儿子, 因此在圣言中也被称为 “女儿” 和 “儿子” (489-491, 2362节). 它们相对来说还如同兄弟姐妹, 如同孙子孙女, 以及女婿, 岳父, 儿媳; 简言之, 如同各个层次的血亲关系和姻亲关系. 所有这些关系都源于为父的良善和为母的真理的婚姻. 因为天堂里的一切事物, 无论总体还是细节, 都是照着对主之爱与信的关系, 或也可说, 良善与真理的关系而存在 (685, 917, 2739, 3612节); 上古之人因此将所有这些事物都比作婚姻 (参看54, 55, 718, 747, 1432, 2508, 2516, 2524, 2556节).

就圣言的内义而言, “父” 表良善. 这一点从许多经文可以看出来, 如以下经文, 以赛亚书:

你们这追求公义, 寻求耶和华的, 当听从我! 你们要瞻仰你们被凿而出的磐石, 被挖而出的坑穴; 要瞻仰你们的父亚伯拉罕和生养你们的撒拉; 因为亚伯拉罕独自一人的时候, 我呼召了他, 赐福与他, 使他增多. 耶和华必安慰锡安, 安慰她所有的荒场, 使旷野像伊甸, 使荒漠像耶和华的园子. (以赛亚书 51:1-3)

这论及主及其到来, 这一点从每个细节明显看出来. 就神性真理而言, 祂被称为 “磐石” 和 “坑”; 就神性良善而言, 祂被称为 “父亚伯拉罕”. 由于亚伯拉罕和撒拉代表良善和真理的神圣婚姻 (参看1468, 1901, 1965, 1989, 2011, 2063, 2065, 2172, 2173, 2198, 2507, 2833, 2836, 2904, 3245, 3251, 3305节), 故经上说 “你们的父亚伯拉罕和生养你们的撒拉”. 这解释了为何经上还说他们要 “瞻仰那磐石和坑”, 以及 “他们的父亚伯拉罕和撒拉”; 还解释了为何紧接着会有这样的应许 “耶和华必安慰锡安”, 也就是属天教会 (2362节), 并且 “安慰她所有的荒场, 使旷野像伊甸, 使荒漠像耶和华的园子”.

当亚伯拉罕在圣言的其它经文中被称为 “父” 时, 他具有同样的含义, 如约翰福音:

耶稣说, 我所说的, 是在我父那里看见的; 你们所行的, 是在你们的父那里看见的. 他们回答祂说, 我们的父就是亚伯拉罕. 耶稣对他们说, 你们若是亚伯拉罕的儿子, 就必行亚伯拉罕所行的事; 你们是行你们父所行的事. (约翰福音 8:38-39, 41)

马太福音:

不要自己心里想着说, 我们有亚伯拉罕为我们的父; 我告诉你们, 神能从这些石头中给亚伯拉罕兴起子孙来. 现在斧子已经放在树根上, 凡不结好果子的树, 就砍下来, 丢在火里. (马太福音 3:9-10)

路加福音:

穷人拉撒路死了, 被天使带上去, 到亚伯拉罕的怀里; 财主也死了, 并且埋葬了; 他在阴间举目远远地望见亚伯拉罕, 又望见拉撒路在他怀里; 就喊着说, 我父亚伯拉罕哪, 可怜我吧! 父啊, 求你打发拉撒路到我父家去. (路加福音 16:22-24, 27)

从这些经文明显可知, 所指的不是亚伯拉罕, 而是主的神性良善. 天上没有人知道亚伯拉罕, 当提到他的名字时, 他们理解为主 (1834, 1876, 1989, 3305节).

“父” 在内义上表良善, 这一点可从以下经文看出来. 摩西五经:

当孝敬父母, 使你的日子在耶和华你神所赐你的地上得以长久. (出埃及记 20:12; 申命记 5:16)

这条诫命和十诫中的其它诫命一样, 在两种意义上都是正确的; 在内义上, “当孝敬父母” 是指热爱良善与真理, 并热爱在良善与真理中的主 (参看2609, 3690节). “地上的日子” 是指随之而来的主国度中的良善状态, 这一点从 “日子”, “迦南” 和 “长久” 的含义清楚可知: “日子” 是指状态 (23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788节); “迦南”, 就是此处的 “地”, 是指主的国度 (参看1607, 3038, 3481节); “长久” 论及良善 (1613节).

由于 “父母” 具有这些含义, 故在代表性的犹太教会, 针对父母和儿子制定了许多条例. 就内义而言, 每个条例都是指良善与真理; 就至高意义而言, 则是指主的神性良善与神性真理. 如摩西五经:

打父亲或母亲的, 必须处死. 咒骂父亲或母亲的, 必须处死. (出埃及记 21:15, 17)

又:

凡咒骂自己的父亲或母亲的, 必须被处死; 他咒骂了自己的父亲或母亲, 他的血要归到他身上. (利未记 20:9)

又:

轻慢父亲或母亲的, 必受咒诅! 百姓都要说, 阿们! (申命记 27:16)

以西结书:

看哪! 以色列的首领各逞其能, 在你中间流人之血. 在你中间有轻慢父母的. (以西结书 22:6-7)

摩西五经:

人若有顽梗悖逆的儿子, 不听从他父亲的声音, 或他母亲的声音, 他们虽惩治他, 他仍不听从, 父母就要抓住他, 将他带到本地的城门, 本城的长老那里; 本城的众人就要用石头将他打死. (申命记 21:18-19, 21)

在所有这些经文中, 就字义而言, “父母” 是指父母; 但就内义而言, 是指良善与真理; 就至高意义而言, 则指主的神性良善与神性真理. 这也是主自己在马太福音中的教导:

就伸手指着门徒说, 看哪, 我的母亲, 我的弟兄; 凡遵行我天父旨意的人, 就是我的弟兄, 姐妹和母亲了. (马太福音 12:49, 50)

又:

但你们不要受拉比的称呼, 因为只有一位是你们的夫子, 就是基督; 你们都是弟兄; 也不要称呼地上的人为父, 因为只有一位是你们的父, 就是在天上的父. (马太福音 23:8-9)

此处禁止受夫子的称呼, 也禁止称呼地上的人为父; 除了主以外, 不可发自内心承认其他父. 也就是说, 当提及 “夫子” 和 “父” 时, 当理解为主, 就至高意义而言, 他们代表主. 如前所述 (3702节), 属天的上古之人在地上所感知到的任何事物对他们来说, 都是思想主的工具.

这同样体现在主对其中一个门徒所说的话中, 祂说:

主啊, 容我先回去埋葬我的父亲; 耶稣对他说, 任凭死人埋葬他们的死人, 你跟从我吧! (马太福音 8:21-22)

事实上, 地上的父之于天上的父, 也就是主, 如同死人之于活人. 甚至就连 “孝敬父母” 这条律法本身也可以说是死的, 除非它含有对主的尊重, 敬拜和爱在里面. 因为这条律法是从该神性律法降下来的, 因此存在于 “孝敬父母” 这条律法里面的生命元素就是从这条神性律法得来的. 这就为何主说 “任凭死人埋葬他们的死人, 你跟从我吧”. 以利亚对以利沙所说的话在意义上也一样:

以利亚经过以利沙, 将自己的外衣搭在他身上. 以利沙就离开牛跑去追上以利亚说. 求你容我先与父母吻别, 然后我便跟随你. 以利亚对他说, 你回去吧! 我向你做了什么呢?(列王纪上 19:19-20)

以利亚代表主 (参看18章序言和2762节)

玛拉基书:

看哪! 耶和华大而可畏之日未到以前, 我必差遣先知以利亚到你们那里去! 他必使父亲的心转向儿女, 儿女的心转向父亲, 免得我来咒诅这地. (玛拉基书 4:5-6)

在路加福音, 天使向撒迦利亚论到他儿子约翰说:

他必有以利亚的灵和能力, 行在主的面前, 叫为父的心转向儿女. (路加福音 1:17)

从这些地方明显可知, “父” 和 “儿女” 不是指父亲和儿女, 而是指主即将恢复的教会良善与真理.

玛拉基书:

耶和华在以色列疆界之外必尊为大! 儿子尊敬父亲, 仆人敬畏主人. 我既为父亲, 尊敬我的在哪里呢? 我既为主人, 敬畏我的在哪里呢? (玛拉基书 1:5-6)

“儿子” 表那些处于教会良善的人, “仆人” 表那些处于教会真理的人. 此处 “父亲” 明显表示主的神性良善, “主人” 或 “主” 表其神性真理

诗篇:

我父母离弃我, 耶和华必收留我. (诗篇 27:10)

“父母” 表良善与真理, 当人意识到他凭自己不能行任何良善, 或不知道任何真理时, 就说他被 “离弃” 了. 显然, 这句话不能理解为大卫的父母离弃了他.

又:

你比世人更美; 王女在宫里极其荣华, 她的衣服是用金线绣的. 你的子孙要接替你的列祖, 你要立他们在全地作王. (诗篇 45:2, 13, 16) 这论述的是主. “你的子孙要接替你的列祖” 表神性真理必如同神性良善. “王女” 表对真理的热爱; “用金线绣的衣服” 表源于良善的这真理的性质. 从整个诗篇及其中的每个部分明显看出, 此处所论述的主题是主及其神性人身, 故显而易见, 其中的每一个词都涉及同一个事物. 因此, “王女” 不是指国王的女儿, “她的衣服是用金线绣的. 你的子孙要接替你的列祖, 你要立他们在全地作王” 这些话也不是字面上的意思, 而每个词都表示神性属天和属灵之物. “女儿” 表情感或爱 (490, 491, 2362节); “王” 表神性真理 (1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009节); “金” 表良善 (113, 1551, 1552节). “绣” 论及属世的记忆知识 (2831节), 故在此论及神圣的属世真理. “衣服” 表诸如包裹良善的那类真理 (297, 2576节); “接替列祖的子孙” 表源于良善的真理, 在这种情况下, 神性真理如同神性良善 (264, 489, 491, 533, 1147, 1729, 1733, 2159, 2623, 2803, 2813节). “全地的王” 是指主的国度和教会的首要事物, “王” 是指首要事物 (1482, 2089节), “地” 是指主的国度和教会 (1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355节).

摩西五经:

耶和华却喜悦你的列祖, 爱他们, 从万民中拣选你们为他们以后他们的种, 像今日一样. 所以你们要给你们的心行割礼, 不可再硬着颈项. (申命记 10:15-16)

此处 “列祖” 在内义上表古教会和上古教会, 其成员凭他们所拥有的对良善与真理的热爱而被如此称呼: 属天的上古之人凭着对良善的热爱, 属灵的古人凭着对真理的热爱. 在教会, 他们的良善与真理被称为 “耶和华所拣选的种”. 很明显, 此处的列祖不是指亚伯拉罕, 以撒, 雅各和他的十二个儿子. ; 种也不是指以色列和犹太人. 确切地说, 之所以论及他们并向他们说这句话, 是为了内义可以具有某种外在形式, 从而容易被世人理解.

以赛亚书:

少年人必侮慢老年人, 卑贱人必侮慢尊贵人. 人在父家拉住弟兄说, 你有衣服, 可以作我们的官长, 他必说, 我家中没有粮食, 也没有衣服, 你们不可立我作百姓的官长. (以赛亚书 3:5-7)

就内义而言, 这论述的是教会的败坏状态, 这时, 真理不再被承认为真理, 也没人知道何为良善. “人在父家拉住弟兄” 表承认一切事物为良善. “衣服” 表真理 (1073, 2576节), “官长” 表取自真理的教义首要事务 (1482, 2089节). “我家中没有粮食, 也没有衣服” 表没有良善也没有真理, “粮食” 表良善 (276, 680, 3478节); “衣服” 表真理 (297, 2576节).

由于父母, 以及女儿和儿子代表良善与真理, 所以代表性教会才会有众多通过这些代表而拥有神性之物在里面的律法或条例, 如以下条例:

祭司的女儿若行淫, 辱没自己, 就辱没了父亲, 必用火将她焚烧. (利未记 21:9)

“祭司的女儿” 表对良善的情感, “父亲” 表该情感所源于的良善. “行淫” 表亵渎良善. 至于何谓 “行淫”, 可参看前文 (2466, 2729, 3399节), 何谓 “辱没” (1008, 1010, 1059, 2051, 3398, 3399节). 而且:

祭司的女儿若是寡妇或是被休的, 没有种, 又归回父家, 与她青年一样, 就可以吃她父亲的食物; 只是外人不可吃. (利未记 22:13)

还有这个条例:

若在被掳的人中见有美貌的妻子, 恋慕她, 要娶她为妻, 就可以领她到你家中, 她便要剃头发, 修指甲, 脱去被掳时所穿的衣服, 坐在你家里哀哭父母一个月的天数, 然后可以进去找她, 与她同房, 她作你的妻子. (申命记 21:11-13)

在这个条例中, 每一个细节都是属世真理的代表, 因为它一旦洁除虚假, 就被良善接纳. 这种真理由 “被掳的人中美貌的妻子” 来表示; 从虚假当中洁净由 “领她到家中, 剃头发, 修指甲, 脱去被掳时所穿的衣服, 哀哭父母” 来表示; 接纳由 “然后可以进去找她, 与她同房, 娶她为妻” 来表示.

我们在圣言中读到: 婚姻的条例规定要在支派和宗族内通婚, 继承法禁止遗产从一个支派转到另一个支派. 写在圣言里的这些条例也有同样的来源, 也就是说, 源于主国度中属天和属灵的婚姻, 或 “父母” 所表示的良善与真理的婚姻. 这同样适用于所颁布的关于允许与禁止亲密关系程度的条例. 在圣言中, 关于这些事的每一个条例都从内在涉及天堂中良善与真理的联系和结合, 并涉及地狱中邪恶虚假的苟合, 它们与前者分离. 关于允许和禁止程度的条例, 可参看利未记 (20章); 关于禁止遗产从一个支派转到另一个支派的条例, 和关于规定在支派内通婚的条例, 可参看民数记 (27:7-9等). 在天上, 每一个事物的位置都照着良善与真理的血亲关系和姻亲关系而固定 (参看685, 917, 2739, 3612节).

由于以色列人代表主在天上的国度, 因而代表那里的天堂秩序, 故经上还规定他们要照着支派, 宗族和家族划分 (民数记 26章); 他们要照着这个秩序在会幕的四围安营, 同样照着这个秩序起行, 如摩西五经所记载的那样:

以色列人各人要在自己的旗帜下, 按照自己父家的旗号安营, 对着会幕的四围安营. 以色列人就这样行. (民数记 2:2, 34)

因此:

巴兰看见以色列人照着支派居住, 神的灵就临到他身上. 他便题起诗歌说, 雅各啊, 你的帐棚何等华美! 以色列啊, 你的帐幕何其华丽! 如接连的山谷, 如河旁的园子. (民数记 24:2-3, 5-6等)

在这段预言中, 所指的不是雅各或以色列, 而是主在天上的国度和祂在地上的教会, 它们由那时巴兰看到他们时所处的次序来代表, 这一点从其中这些词明显看出来.

从这些例子也可得知, 就圣言的内义而言, 何谓孤儿, 也就是无父之人; 就是那些处于纯真和仁爱的状态, 渴望知道并行出良善却不能的人. 这种状态尤其存在于那些教会之外的人身上, 主看顾他们, 并在来世将其接纳为祂的儿女. 这些人由 “孤儿” 来表示, 故当他们在圣言中被提及时, 很多经文也会提及寄居者和寡妇. 因为 “寄居者” 表示那些正在接受良善与真理的教导之人 (1463节), “寡妇” 则表示那些处于良善的状态, 却不怎么处于真理的人, 以及那些处于真理的状态 , 却不怎么处于良善, 却渴望处于其中的人. 由于这三者, 即 “孤儿”, “寄居者” 和 “寡妇” 的含义同属一个极其类似的系列, 所以如前所述, 在很多经文中, 他们一起被提及 (参看申命记 14:29; 16:11, 14; 24:17, 19; 耶利米书 7:6; 22:3; 以西结书 22:6, 7; 撒迦利亚书 7:10; 诗篇 94:6; 146:9). 综上所述, 可以看出 “父” 的真正意义是什么, 即表示良善, 在至高意义上表示主.

在圣言中, 绝大部分词都有一个反面意义, “父” (经上有时译为祖宗或祖) 这个词也不例外, “父” 在反面意义上表示邪恶. “母” 同样如此, 在正面意义上表示真理, 在反面意义上则表示虚假. 这一事实可从以下经文看出来, 诗篇:

愿他祖宗的罪孽被耶和华记念, 愿他母亲的罪过不被涂抹. (诗篇 109:14)

又:

他们转身行诡诈, 像他们的祖宗一样. 他们翻转, 如同乖张的弓. (诗篇 78:57)

摩西五经:

你们剩下的人, 必因自己的罪孽在仇敌之地消灭; 也必因他们祖宗的罪孽而与他们消灭. (利未记 26:39)

以赛亚书:

你们要预备杀戮他的子孙, 因为他们的父既有罪孽, 免得他们兴起来, 得了这地, 使城市遍满地面. (以赛亚书 14:21)

又:

我必一同报应你们自己的罪孽, 和你们列祖的罪孽. (以赛亚书 65:6-7)

耶利米书:

以色列家和他们的君王, 首领, 祭司, 先知也都照样羞愧. 他们向木头说, 你是我的父; 向石头说你是生我的. 他们以颈背向我, 不是以面. (耶利米书 2:26-27)

又:

我要将绊脚石放在这百姓前面, 父亲和儿子要一同跌在其上; 邻舍与朋友也都灭亡. (耶利米书 6:21)

又:

孩子拾柴, 父亲烧火, 妇女抟面做饼, 献给天后. (耶利米书 7:18)

以西结书:

因你一切可憎的事, 我要在你中间行我所未曾行的, 以后我也不再照着行. 因此父亲要吃儿子, 儿子要吃父亲. 我必向你施行审判, 我必将你所剩下的分散四风. (以西结书 5:9-10)

这论及对神圣之物的亵渎. 又:

主耶和华对耶路撒冷如此说: 你的根源, 你的出身, 是在迦南地; 你父亲是亚摩利人, 你母亲是赫人. (以西结书 16:3)

马太福音:

弟兄要把弟兄, 父亲要把儿子, 送到死地; 儿女要起来反对父母, 置他们于死地. 并且你们要为我的名被众人恨恶. 因为我来是叫人与父亲对立, 女儿与母亲对立, 媳妇与婆婆对立; 人的仇敌就是自己家里的人. 爱父母过于爱我的, 不配作属我的; 爱儿女过于爱我的, 不配作属我的. (马太福音 10:21-22, 35-37; 路加福音 12:49, 52-53)

同一福音书:

凡为我的名撇下房屋或是弟兄, 姐妹, 父亲, 母亲, 妻子, 儿女, 田地的, 必要得着百倍, 并且承受永生. (马太福音 19:29 ; 路加福音 18:29, 30; 马可福音 10:29, 30)

路加福音:

人到我这里来, 若不恨恶自己的父母, 妻子, 儿女, 弟兄, 姐妹, 甚至自己的性命, 就不能作我的门徒. (路加福音 14:26)

马可福音:

弟兄要把弟兄, 父亲要把孩子, 送到死地; 儿女要起来反对父母, 置他们于死地; 并且你们要为我的名被众人恨恶. (马可福音 13:12-13; 路加福音 21:16-17)

这论及世代的终结和教会的状态, 这时, 它在良善与真理上已经败坏, 也就是说, 邪恶起来反对真理, 虚假起来反对良善. “父” (或祖) 在反面意义上表示邪恶, 这从刚才所引用的经文, 以及下面的经文明显看出来. 约翰福音:

耶稣对他们说, 倘若神是你们的父, 你们就必爱我, 因为我本是出于神, 也是从神而来. 你们是出于你们的父魔鬼, 你们父的私欲, 你们偏要行. 他从起初是杀人的, 不守真理, 因真理不在他里面; 他说谎言时, 出于自己说的, 因他本来是说谎的, 也是说谎之人的父. (约翰福音 8:42, 44)

3881. 'Therefore she called his name Judah' means the essential nature of it. This is clear from the meaning of 'name' and of 'calling the name' as the essential nature, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421. That nature is contained in the internal sense of these words spoken by Leah - 'This time I will confess Jehovah', dealt with immediately above in 3880. That is to say, in the highest sense those words mean the Lord and the Divinity of His Love, in the internal sense the Word and also the Lord's celestial kingdom, and in the more exterior sense doctrine from the Word which the celestial Church has. But as yet scarcely anyone knows that these things are meant in the Word when the name Judah is mentioned, the reason being that the historical descriptions of the Word are thought to be simply historical descriptions, and the prophetical utterances to belong among such things as have fallen into oblivion, except for some of them from which doctrinal inferences may be drawn out. No belief exists that those descriptions and utterances have a spiritual sense within them, because at the present day no knowledge exists of what the spiritual sense is, or indeed of what the spiritual is. And the chief reason for this is that the life which people lead is the natural life. This is such that when they have that life as their end in view or it is the only life they desire, it blots out both spiritual knowledge and faith - so much so that when spiritual life and a spiritual sense are spoken of, these are like something that does not really exist or else are something unpleasant and depressing which, because it does not accord with natural life, they find distasteful. Such being the condition of the human race at the present day it neither understands nor wishes to understand by the names mentioned in the Word anything else than the nations, peoples, individual persons, regions, cities, mountains, or rivers, which those names denote. Yet in the spiritual sense names mean real things.

[2] That 'Judah' in the internal sense means the Lord's celestial Church, in the universal sense His celestial kingdom, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself may be seen from many places in the Old Testament where Judah is mentioned, for example, from the following: In Moses,

You are Judah; your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; the sons of your father will bow down to you. A lion's whelp is Judah; from the prey you have gone up, my son. He crouched, he lay down like a lion, and like an old lion; who will rouse him up? The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh comes; and to him will be the gathering of peoples. Binding his ass's colt to the vine, and the foal of his she-ass to a choice vine, he will wash his clothing in wine, and his garment in the blood of grapes. His eyes are red from wine, and his teeth white from milk. Genesis 49:8-12.

[3] Nobody can know the meaning of this prophetical declaration about Judah uttered by Jacob, who by then was Israel - not even one expression used there - except from the internal sense. He cannot know for example what is meant by 'his brothers will praise him' and 'his father's sons will bow down to him', or by 'his going up from the prey like a lion's whelp', and 'his crouching and lying down like a lion'. Nor can he know what is meant by 'Shiloh', by 'binding his ass's colt to the vine, and the foal of his she-ass to a choice vine', by 'washing his clothing in wine, and his garment in the blood of grapes', by 'eyes red from wine', or by 'teeth white from milk'. As has been stated, these expressions cannot possibly be understood by anyone except from the internal sense, yet all of them - each one - mean celestial things belonging to the Lord's kingdom, also things that are Divine. The same words also foretell that the Lord's celestial kingdom, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself, were to be represented by Judah. All these things declared by Jacob will in the Lord's Divine mercy be discussed in the explanations of the chapter in which they occur.

[4] Similar examples involving the name Judah occur elsewhere, especially in the Prophets, as in Ezekiel,

You son of man, take a stick and write on it, For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions'. And take another stick and write on it, For Joseph - the stick of Ephraim and of the whole house of Israel, his companions - and join them together, one to the other into one stick for you, and they will be one in your, hand. I will make them into one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will be king to them all. My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. And they will walk in My judgements, and keep My statutes and do them. And they will dwell in the land which I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers dwelt. And they will dwell in it, they and their sons, and their sons' sons even for ever. And David My servant will be their prince for ever, and I will make with them a covenant of peace, it will be an eternal covenant with them. I will bless them, and multiply them, and I will grant My sanctuary in their midst for evermore. Thus will My dwelling-place be with them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people. Ezekiel 37:15-28.

Anyone who takes Judah, Israel, Joseph, Ephraim, and David in this passage to mean those actual people will believe all these things will actually take place as described in the sense of the letter. That is to say, he will believe that Israel is going to be reunited with Judah, as well as the tribe of Ephraim; also that David is going to reign as king; that in this manner they are going to dwell in the land given to Jacob for ever, and that at that time an eternal covenant will exist with them and the sanctuary will be in the midst of them for ever. But in fact the meaning of this passage has nothing whatever to do with that nation but with the Lord's celestial kingdom meant by 'Judah', and His spiritual kingdom meant by 'Israel', and with the Lord Himself meant by 'David'. From this it is quite evident that names are not used to mean actual persons but things that are celestial and Divine.

[5] The same is so with the following words in Zechariah,

Many peoples and numerous nations will come to seek Jehovah Zebaoth in Jerusalem and to placate Jehovah's face. Thus said Jehovah Zebaoth, In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue will take hold; and they will take hold of the hem of a man of Judah, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. Zechariah 8:22-23.

Those who take these words literally will say, as the Jewish nation believes still, that being a prophecy not yet fulfilled it is going to be fulfilled in the future. These say that they are going to go back to the land of Canaan, that many from every nation and tongue will follow them, and take hold of the hem of a man of Judah and plead to be allowed to follow. They say that at that time God - that is to say, the Messiah, whom Christians call the Lord - will be among them, to whom they must first be converted. This would be the true implication of these words if 'a man of Judah' were used to mean a man of Judah. But in fact the internal sense at this point deals with a new spiritual Church among gentiles, and 'a man of Judah' means saving faith which results from love to the Lord.

[6] That 'Judah' is not used to mean Judah but, as has been stated, means in the internal sense the Lord's celestial kingdom which was represented in the Church established among Judah or the Jews, becomes quite clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

When the Lord raises an ensign for the nations He will gather the outcasts of Israel, and will assemble the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Then the envy of Ephraim will depart, and the enemies of Judah will be cut off. Ephraim will not envy Judah, and Judah will not harass Ephraim. Isaiah 11:12-13.

In Jeremiah,

Behold, the days are coming, said Jehovah, when I will raise up for David a righteous branch, who will reign as king, and prosper, and execute judgement and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name which they will call Him, Jehovah our Righteousness. Jeremiah 23:5-6.

In Joel,

Then you will know that I am Jehovah your God, who dwell in Zion, My holy mountain; and Jerusalem will be holy. It will happen on that day, that the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk, and all the streams of Judah will flow with water; and a spring will come forth from the house of Jehovah and will water the river of Shittim. Judah will abide for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. Joel 3:17-18, 20.

[7] In Zechariah,

On that day I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. And on the house of Judah I will open My eyes, and every horse of the peoples I will strike with blindness. And the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, I will strengthen for myself the inhabitants of Jerusalem in Jehovah Zebaoth their God. On that day I will set the leaders of Judah like a hearth of fire in sticks of wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they will devour to the right and to the left all the peoples round about, and Jerusalem will yet again be inhabited in her own place, in Jerusalem. And Jehovah will save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David, and the glory of the inhabitant of Jerusalem, may not exalt itself over Judah. On that day Jehovah will protect the inhabitant of Jerusalem, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of Jehovah in front of them. And I will pour out over the house of David and over the inhabitant of Jerusalem a spirit of grace. Zechariah 12:4-10.

This refers to the Lord's celestial kingdom, where truth should not have dominion over good but ought to be subordinate to it, truth being meant by 'the house of David' and 'the inhabitant of Jerusalem', and good by 'Judah'. From this it is evident why first it is said that 'the glory of the house of David, and the glory of the inhabitant of Jerusalem, will not exalt itself over Judah', and after this that 'the house of David will be like God, and like the angel of Jehovah', and that 'a spirit of grace will be poured out over it and over the inhabitant of Jerusalem'. For such is the state when truth is subordinate to good or faith to love. 'The horse which will be struck with panic, and the horse of the peoples with blindness' is self-intelligence, see 2761, 2762, 3217.

[8] In the same prophet,

On that day there will be on the horses' bells, Holiness to Jehovah. And the pots in the house of Jehovah will be as the bowls before the altar. And every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holiness to Jehovah Zebaoth. Zechariah 14:20-21.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom. In Malachi,

Behold, I am sending My angel, who will prepare the way before Me, and suddenly there will come to His temple the Lord whom you are seeking, and the angel of the covenant in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming. Who can endure the day of His coming? Then the minchah of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to Jehovah, as in the days of old and as in former years. Malachi 3:1-2, 4.

This plainly refers to the Coming of the Lord. The meaning is that Judah and Jerusalem's minchah was not, as is well known, acceptable but that worship flowing from love, Judah's minchah, and worship flowing from faith rooted in love, Jerusalem's minchah, are acceptable.

[9] In Jeremiah,

Thus said Jehovah Zebaoth, Again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities when I turn again their captivity: Jehovah bless you, O habitation of righteousness, O holy mountain! And Judah and all its cities will dwell in it together. Behold, the days are coming, said Jehovah, in which I will sow the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. Behold, the days are coming, said Jehovah, in which I will make with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers. Jeremiah 31:23-24, 27, 31-32.

In David,

The Lord chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved, and built His sanctuary as the heights, as the earth He founded it for ever. Psalms 78:68-69.

[10] From these places and very many others which have not been mentioned one may see what 'Judah' means in the Word. They show that 'Judah' does not mean the Jewish nation, for that nation was anything but the celestial Church or the Lord's celestial kingdom; for so far as love to the Lord, charity towards the neighbour, and faith; went they were the worst nation of all. This has been so from their earliest forefathers, namely the sons of Jacob, even to the present day. But in spite of this such people were able to represent the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom, see 3479-3481. For in representations no attention is paid to the person who represents, only to what is represented by him, 665, 1097 (end), 1361, 3147, 3670.

[11] But when they did not adhere to the religious observances commanded by Jehovah or the Lord but deviated from them into acts of idolatry they no longer represented those things but such as are contrary to them, namely those of hell and the devil, according to the Lord's words in John,

You are from your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not take a stand on the truth. John 8:44

Such is the meaning of 'Judah' in the contrary sense, as becomes clear from the following: In Isaiah,

Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their tongue and their works are against Jehovah, to provoke the eyes of His glory to anger. Isaiah 3:8.

In Malachi,

Judah has acted faithlessly, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, and Judah has profaned the holiness of Jehovah, for he loved and married the daughter of a foreign god. Malachi 2:11.

And in addition in the following places - Isaiah 3:1 and following verses;

8:7-8; Jeremiah 2:28; 3:7-11; 9:26; 11:9-10, 12; 13:9; 14:2; 17:1; 18:11-13; 19:7; 32:35; 36:31; 44:12, 14, 26, 28; Hosea 5:5; 8:14; Amos 2:4-5; Zephaniah 1:4; and many times elsewhere.