248. Of the Jewish Church and of the Jews.

The statutes, judgments, and laws, which were commanded in the Jewish Church, were in part like those in the Ancient Church (n. 4449, 4835). In what respect the representative rites of the Jewish Church differed from those of the Ancient Church (n. 4288, 10149). A representative church was instituted with that nation, but there was no church in that nation itself (n. 4899, 4912, 6304). Therefore as to that nation itself, it was the representative of a church, but not a church (n. 4281, 4288, 4311, 4500, 6304, 7048, 9320, 10396, 10526, 10535, 10698). The Israelitish and Jewish nation was not elected, but only received, in order that it might represent a church, on account of the obstinacy with which their fathers and Moses insisted (n. 4290, 4293, 7051, 7439, 10430, 10535, 10632). Their worship was merely external, without any internal worship (n. 1200, 3147, 3479, 8871). They were entirely unacquainted with the internals of worship, and were not willing to know them (n. 301-303, 3479, 4429, 4433, 4680, 4844, 4847, 10396, 10401, 10407, 10694, 10701, 10707). In what manner they consider the internals of worship, of the church, and the Word (n. 4865). Their interiors were filthy, full of the loves of self and of the world, and of avarice (n. 3480, 9962, 10454-10457, 10462-10466, 10575). On this account the internals of the church were not disclosed to them, because they would have profaned them (n. 2520, 3398, 3480, 4289). The Word is wholly shut to them (n. 3769). They see the Word from without and not from within (n. 10549-10551). Therefore their internal, when in worship, was shut (n. 8788, 8806, 9320, 9377, 9380, 9962, 10396, 10401, 10407, 10492, 10498, 10500, 10575, 10629, 10694). That nation was of such a quality, that they could be in a holy external, when the internal was shut, more than others (n. 4293, 4311, 4903, 9373, 9377, 9380). Their state at that time (n. 4311). They are therefore preserved to this day (n. 3479). Their holy external was miraculously elevated by the Lord into heaven, and the interior things of worship, of the church, and the Word perceived there (n. 3480, 4307, 4311, 6304, 8588, 10492, 10500, 10602). For this purpose they were forced by external means strictly to observe their rites in their external form (n. 3147, 4281,10149). Because they could be in a holy external without an internal, they could represent the holy things of the church and heaven (n. 3479, 3881, 4208, 6306, 8588, 9377, 10430, 10500, 10570). Still those holy things did not affect them (n. 3479). The quality of the person who represents is of no importance, because the representation regards the thing represented, and not the person (n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806).

That nation was worse than other nations, their quality also described from the Word of both Testaments (n. 4314, 4316-4317, 4444, 4503, 4750-4751, 4815, 4820, 4832, 5057, 5998, 7248, 8819, 9320, 10454-10547, 10462-10466). The tribe of Judah departed into worse things than the other tribes (n. 4815). How cruelly they treated the Gentiles, from delight (n. 5057, 7248, 9320). That nation was idolatrous in heart; and more than other nations worshiped other gods (n. 3732, 4208, 4444, 4825, 5998, 6877, 7401, 8301, 8871, 8882). Even their worship was idolatrous when considered as to that nation itself, because it was external without internal (n. 4281, 4825, 8871, 8882). They worshiped Jehovah only in name (n. 6877, 10559-10561, 10566). And only on account of miracles (n. 4299). They who believe that the Jews will be converted at the end of the church, and brought again into the land of Canaan, think erroneously (n. 4847, 7051, 8301). Many passages adduced from the Word concerning this matter, but which are to be understood according to the internal sense, and differently from the sense of the letter (n. 7051). The Word was changed on account of that nation, as to its external sense, but not as to its internal sense (n. 10453, 10461, 10603-10604). Jehovah appeared to them on Mount Sinai, according to their quality, in a consuming fire, a thick cloud, and smoke as of a furnace (n. 1861, 6832, 8814, 8819, 9434). The Lord appears to everyone according to his quality, as a vivifying and recreating fire to those who are in good, and as a consuming fire to those who are in evil (n. 934, 1861, 6832, 8814, 8819, 9434, 10551). One origin of that nation was from a Canaanitess and the two others from whoredom with a daughter-in-law (n. 1167, 4818, 4820, 4874, 4899, 4913). These origins signify the nature of their conjunction with the church, as being like conjunction with the Canaanitess, and whoredom with a daughter-in-law (n. 4868, 4874, 4899, 4911, 4913). Of the state of the Jews in the other life (n. 939-940, 5057).

Since this nation, although of such a quality, represented the church; and since the Word was written among them and concerning them; therefore Divine celestial things were signified by their names, as by "Reuben," "Simeon," "Levi," "Judah," "Ephraim," "Joseph," and the rest. That "Judah," in the internal sense, signifies the Lord as to celestial love, and His celestial kingdom (n. 3654, 3881, 5583, 5603, 5782, 6363). The prophecy of Israel concerning Judah, in which the Lord is treated of, explained, Gen. 49:8-12 (n. 6362-6381). "The tribe of Judah" and "Judea" signify the celestial church (n. 3654, 6364). The twelve tribes represented, and thence signified all things of love and faith in the complex (n. 3858, 3926, 4060, 6335); thus also heaven and the church (n. 6337, 6637, 7836, 7891). They signify according to the order in which they are named (n. 3862, 3926, 3939, 4603, seq., 6337, 6640). The twelve tribes were divided into two kingdoms, in order that the Jews might represent the celestial kingdom, and the Israelites the spiritual kingdom (n. 8770, 9320). "The seed of Abraham," of "Isaac," and of "Jacob," signifies the goods and truths of the church (n. 3373, 10445).

7401. 'So that you may know that there is none like Jehovah our God' means that there is one God and none besides Him. This is clear from the consideration that when the historical sense says that 'none is like Jehovah God' the meaning in the internal sense is that there is no God besides Him, and that since there is none besides Him there is one God. In the Word it is frequently stated that there is none like Jehovah God, and also that there is no God like Him. It was stated in this way in the Word because in the land where the Church existed, as also in lands where the Church did not exist, people at that time worshipped a number of gods, and each person gave precedence to his own god over another's god. They distinguished those gods from one another by their names, the God of the Israelites and Jews by the name Jehovah. The Jews and Israelites themselves also believed that a number of gods existed, but that Jehovah was greater than all others on account of His miracles. When therefore those miracles ceased they instantly declined into the worship of other gods, as is evident from the historical parts of the Word. They did, it is true, declare with their lips that there is one God and none besides Him, but they did not believe it in their hearts. This then explains why the Word says that Jehovah is greater than all other gods and that there is none like Him, as in David,

Who is a great God like God ¹ ? You are the God who does wonders. Psalms 77:13-14.

In the same author,

Who is like Jehovah our God? Psalms 113:5.

In the same author,

A great God is Jehovah, and a great King above all gods. Psalms 95:3.

In the same author,

Great is Jehovah, and highly exalted; He is to be feared above all gods. Psalms 96:4.

Jehovah is therefore also called God of gods and Lord of lords in Psalms 136:2-3; Daniel 2:47. However the truth which the internal sense contains - that there is one God and none besides Him - is evident in Isaiah,

Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no God else; and there is not the like of Me. Isaiah 46:9.

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