2826. 'For now I know that you fear God' means glorification from Divine love. 'This is clear from the meaning of 'knowing', in reference to the Lord's Divine, as nothing other than being united, or what amounts to the same, being glorified, for the Human was being united to the Divine by means of temptations, 1737, 1813; and from the meaning of 'fearing God', or the fear of God, as in this case Divine love. As this has reference to the Lord's Divine Rational as regards truth, the expression 'fearing God' is used here, not 'fearing Jehovah', for when truth is the subject the name God occurs, but when good is, the name Jehovah occurs, 2586, 2769, 2822. For it was by means of Divine love that the Lord united the Human Essence to the Divine Essence, and the Divine Essence to the Human Essence, or what amounts to the same, glorified Himself, see 1812, 1813, 2253. What is meant in the Word by 'fearing God' becomes clear from very many places there when these are understood as to the internal sense. In the Word the fear of God means worship, and indeed worship based either on fear, or on good that flows from faith, or on good that flows from love. Worship based on fear is meant when those who are not regenerate are the subject, worship based on good flowing from faith when regenerate spiritual people are the subject, and worship based on good flowing from love when regenerate celestial people are the subject.

[2] I The fear of God in general means worship. This is evident in the Book of Kings,

The children of Israel feared other gods and walked in the statutes of the nations. The nations brought into Samaria did not at the beginning fear Jehovah; therefore Jehovah sent lions among them. Then came one of the priests whom they had made captives in Samaria, and he dwelt in Bethel and was teaching them how to fear Jehovah. Jehovah had made a covenant with the children of Israel and had commanded them, You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves down to them, and you shall not serve them, nor sacrifice to them, but you shall fear Jehovah, and bow yourselves down to Him, and sacrifice to Him. 2 Kings 17:7-8, 24-25, 28, 32-33, 35-37, 41.

Here 'fearing' clearly stands for worshipping. In Isaiah,

Because this people have drawn near with their mouth, and honoured Me with their lips, but their heart has been far from Me, and their fear of Me has been a commandment of men that has been taught to them.... Isaiah 29:13.

Here 'their fear of Me' stands for worship in general, for it is said that that fear was 'a commandment of men'. In Luke,

There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God and did not regard man. Luke 18:2.

'Who did not fear God' stands for not worshipping Him.

[3] II The fear of God means worship based on fear when those who are not regenerate are the subject

This is evident from the following places: In Moses, when the Law was delivered on Mount Sinai to the people,

The people said to Moses, You yourself speak to us and we will listen; and do not let God speak to us lest perhaps we die. And Moses said to the people, For God has come to tempt you, and to the end that His fear may be before your faces, so that you do not sin. Exodus 20:19-20.

And elsewhere in the same author,

Now why should we die? For this great fire will devour us; if we hear the voice of Jehovah our God any more we shall die. You go near and hear all that Jehovah our God will say, and then you tell us all that Jehovah our God will say to you, and we will listen and act. And Jehovah said to Moses, Who will grant it that they have this heart within them to fear Me and to keep all My commandments all their days? Deuteronomy 5:25, 27, 29.

Here 'the fear of God before your faces, so that you do not sin' and 'a heart to fear Me and to keep all My commandments' means worship based on fear attributable to them because they are by nature what they are. Indeed people whose worship is external, and not at all internal, are led through fear to respect the law and to obey it; but they do not enter into any internal worship, which is holy fear, unless the good of life is present in them, and they know what is internal, and believe it. In the same author,

If you do not take care to do all the words of this Law that are written in this Book, to fear this glorious and fearful name, Jehovah your God, Jehovah will make your plagues exceptional, ¹ and the plagues of your seed, plagues great and persistent, and diseases bad and persistent. And He will bring back on you all the sicknesses of Egypt which you fear, and they will cling to you. Deuteronomy 28:58-60.

Here also 'fearing the glorious and terrible name of Jehovah God' means worship based on fear; and in order that this fear might exist among such persons all evils, even cursings, were attributed to Jehovah, 592, 2335, 2395, 2447. In Jeremiah,

Your wickedness will chasten you, and your backslidings will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake Jehovah your God, and for My fear not to be in you. Jeremiah 2:19.

In Luke,

I tell you, Do not fear those who kill the body, but after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you ought to fear; fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, fear Him. Luke 12:4-5; Matthew 10:28.

Here also 'fearing God' implies worship based on some kind of fear, for fear drove those people to obey, as has been stated.

[4] III Fearing God or Jehovah means worship based on good that flows from faith, when regenerate spiritual people are the subject.

This is evident from the following places: In Moses,

The king will write for himself a copy of this Law in a Book before the Levite priests. And it will be with him, and he will read from it every day of his life, so that he may learn to fear Jehovah his God, keeping all the words of this Law and these statutes to do them. Deuteronomy 17:18-19.

'The king' in the internal sense stands for the truth of faith since the office of a king represented the Lord's spiritual kingdom, 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069. Consequently 'fearing Jehovah his God' means worship of Him based on the truth of faith, which, being inseparable from the good of charity, is described as 'keeping the words of the Law and these statutes to do them'. In Samuel,

Behold, Jehovah has set a king over you. If you will fear Jehovah and serve Him, and hearken to His voice, both you, and the king who reigns over you, will be following Jehovah your God. 1 Samuel 12:13-14.

Here too 'fearing Jehovah' stands in the internal sense for worship based on the good and truth of faith, as previously, since a king or the kingly office is the subject.

[5] In Joshua,

Now fear Jehovah, and serve Him in sincerity and truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served. Joshua 24:14.

Here also 'fearing Jehovah' stands for worship based on good and truth which exist with the spiritual man, for 'sincerity' is used in reference to the good of faith, 612, 'truth' to the truth of faith. In Jeremiah,

They will be My people and I will be their God; and I will give them one heart and one way, to fear Me all their days, for their own good and that of their sons after them. And I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn back from doing good to them, and I will put My fear into their heart of not departing from Me. Jeremiah 32:38-40.

Here 'fearing God' means worship based on the good and truth of faith. This becomes clear from the train of thought and from the fact that the words 'people' and 'God' are used - 'people' being used in reference to those with whom the truth of faith exists, see 1259, 1260, and 'God' being used when truth is the subject, 2586, 2769, 2807 (end). In Isaiah,

A powerful people will honour You, the city of strong nations will fear You. Isaiah 25:3.

Here also 'fearing God' stands for worship based on spiritual truth, since the expressions 'people' and 'city' are used - 'the city' meaning doctrinal teaching that is true, see 402, 2268, 2449, 2451.

[6] In David,

Who is the man that fears Jehovah? He will teach him the way that he should choose. Psalms 25:12.

Here 'the man that fears Jehovah' stands for one who worships Him. This refers to the spiritual man, as is evident from the fact that it is said 'He will teach him the way' - 'way' meaning truth, see 627, 2333. In the same author,

Blessed is everyone who fears Jehovah and walks in His ways! Psalms 128:1.

Here the meaning is similar. In the same author,

Those who fear Jehovah will glorify Him, all the seed of Jacob will glorify Him; and they will stand in awe of Him, all the seed of Israel. Psalms 22:23.

Here 'standing in awe of Him' stands for worship based on the truth of faith, for 'the seed of Israel' is the spiritual side of the Church, that is, the good and truth of faith, 1025, 1447, 1610. In Moses,

Now Israel, what does Jehovah your God require of you but to fear Jehovah your God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve Jehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, to keep Jehovah's commandments and His statutes? Deuteronomy 10:12-13.

Here a description occurs of what 'fearing God' entails in the case of the spiritual man, meant by 'Israel', namely 'walking in the ways of Jehovah, loving Him, serving Him, and keeping His commandments and statutes'. In John,

I saw an angel flying in mid-heaven, having an eternal gospel, and saying in a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgement has come. Revelation 14:6-7.

Here 'fearing God' stands for holy worship based on the good and truth of faith. In Luke,

Jesus said to the paralysed man, Rise, take up your bed and go away to your home. As a consequence amazement seized them all, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear. Luke 5:24-26.

Here 'fear' stands for holy fear as it exists in people who by means of the truth of faith are being introduced into the good of love.

[7] IV Fearing God or Jehovah means worship based on good that flows from love, when regenerate celestial people are the subject.

In Malachi,

My covenant with Levi was [a covenant] of life and peace, and I gave them to him with fear; and he feared Me, and for My name he was crushed. The law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not [found] on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness. Malachi 2:5-6.

This refers to the Lord, meant here by 'Levi' in the internal sense. 'Levi' means the priesthood, and he means love. 'Fear' in this instance stands for the good that flows from Divine Love, 'the law of truth' for the truth that accompanies it, 'peace and uprightness' for both.

[8] In Isaiah,

There will come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch will grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of Jehovah will rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and intelligence, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of Jehovah. And His delight ² will be in the fear of Jehovah. Isaiah 11:1-3.

This too refers to the Lord. 'The Spirit of knowledge and the fear of Jehovah' stands for the Divine love of truth, 'His delight will be in the fear of Jehovah' for the Divine love of good.

[9] In David,

The commandments of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of Jehovah is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of Jehovah is clean, standing for ever; the judgements of Jehovah are truth, righteous altogether. Psalms 19:8-9.

Here 'the fear of Jehovah is clean' stands for love, 'the judgements of Jehovah are truth' for faith. 'Righteousness' is used in reference to good that is the good of love, 'judgements' to truth that is the truth of faith, see 2235; and these are called 'righteous altogether' when truth consists in good, or faith in charity.

[10] In the same author,

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

And elsewhere in the same author,

Jehovah takes no delight in the might of the horse, nor pleasure in the legs of man Jehovah's pleasure is in those who fear Him and in those who await His mercy. Psalms 147:10-11.

'The might of the horse' stands for a person's own power to think what is true; for 'a horses means the understanding, see 2760-2762. 'The legs of man' stands for a person's own power to do good. 'Those who fear Jehovah' stands for people whose worship of Him is based on a love of truth, and 'those who await His mercy' stands for those whose worship is based on a love of good. In the Prophets when good is spoken of so also is truth, and when truth is spoken of so also is good, on account of the heavenly marriage of good and truth that exists in every individual part [of the Word], see 683, 793, 801, 2516, 2712, 2731.

[11] In the same author,

Jehovah will bless the house of Israel, He will bless the house of Aaron, He will bless those who fear Jehovah, both small and great. Psalms 115:12-13.

Here 'those who fear Jehovah' stands for people whose worship is based on the good that flows from faith, meant by 'the house of Israel', and on the good that flows from love, meant by 'the house of Aaron' - both of them on account of the heavenly marriage which exists, as has been stated, in every individual part of the Word.

[12] In Isaiah,

The stability ³ of your times will be strength to save, wisdom and knowledge; and the fear of Jehovah itself the treasure. Isaiah 33:6.

Here 'wisdom and knowledge' stands for the good of faith joined to the truth of faith, 'the fear of Jehovah' for the good of love. In the same prophet,

Who among you fears Jehovah? [Who] listens to the voice of His servant? Isaiah 50:10.

'Who fears Jehovah' stands for one whose worship is based on love, 'who listens to the voice of His servant' for one whose worship is based on faith. When one goes with the other the heavenly marriage is in that case present.

[13] From these places that have been quoted from the Word it is clear that 'the fear of God' means worship based either on fear, or on the good that flows from faith, or on the good that flows from love. But the more there is of fear present in worship the less there is of faith, and still less of love. Conversely, the more there is of faith present in worship, and even more so of love, the less there is of fear. Present within all worship there is fear, but this fear takes on a different form and nature; for it is holy fear. But holy fear is not so much a fear of hell and of damnation, as a fear lest anything whatever be done or thought that is contrary to the Lord and contrary to the neighbour, thus anything whatever that is contrary to the good of love and to the truth of faith. It is an abhorrence which on the one side forms the boundary of the holiness of faith and of the holiness of love. And since, as has been stated, it is not a fear of hell and damnation, it exists with those who abide in the good of faith, less so with those who abide in the good of love, that is, who abide in the Lord. Therefore,

[14] V Fearing also means distrusting, or having no faith and love.

As in Isaiah,

Thus said your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, and have called you by your name; you are Mine. Isaiah 43:1, 5; 44:8

In Luke,

The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us, that without fear we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him, in holiness and righteousness before Him. Luke 1:73-75.

In the same gospel,

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32.

In Mark,

Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, Do not fear, only believe. Mark 5:36; Luke 8:49-50.

In the same gospel,

Jesus said, Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith? Mark 4:40.

In Luke,

The hairs of your head are numbered. Do not fear, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Luke 12:7.

In all these places 'fearing' means distrusting or having no faith and love.

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2015. That 'kings will come out of you' means that all truth comes from Him is clear from the meaning of 'a king' as truth in both the historical and the prophetical sections of the Word, as stated in 1672 but not yet shown to be so. From the meaning of 'nations' as goods, and from the meaning of 'kings' as truths, the nature of the internal sense of the Word becomes clear, and also how remote it is from the sense of the letter. No one reading the Word, especially the historical section, believes anything other than that 'nations' referred to there means nations, or that 'kings' there means kings, and therefore that the nations mentioned there, or the kings, are the real subject of the very Word itself. But when the idea of nations and also of kings reaches angels it perishes altogether, and good and truth take their place instead. This is bound to seem strange and indeed a paradox, but it is nevertheless the truth. The matter may also become clear to anyone from the fact that if nations were meant in the Word by 'nations' and kings by 'kings', the Word of the Lord would hardly embody anything more than some historical or other piece of writing and so would be something of a worldly nature, when in fact everything in the Word is Divine and so is celestial and spiritual.

[2] Take merely the statement in the present verse about Abraham's being made fruitful, nations being made of him, and kings coming out of him. What else is this but something purely worldly and nothing at all heavenly? Indeed these assertions entail no more than the glory of this world, a glory which is absolutely nothing in heaven. But if this is the Word of the Lord then its glory must be that of heaven, not that of the world. This also is why the sense of the letter is completely erased and disappears when it passes into heaven, and is purified in such a way that nothing worldly at all is intermingled. For 'Abraham' is not used to mean Abraham but the Lord; nor is 'being fruitful' used to mean his descendants who would increase more and more but the endless growth of good belonging to the Lord's Human Essence. 'Nations' do not mean nations but goods, and 'kings' do not mean kings but truths. Nevertheless the narrative in the sense of the letter remains historically true, for Abraham was indeed spoken to in this way; and he was indeed made fruitful in this way, with nations as well as kings descending from him.

[3] That 'kings' means truths becomes clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

The sons of the foreigner will build up your walls, and their kings will minister to you. You will suck the milk of nations, and the breast of kings will you suck. Isaiah 60:10, 16.

What 'sucking the milk of nations and the breast of kings' means is not at all evident from the letter but from the internal sense, in which being endowed with goods and instructed in truths is meant. In Jeremiah,

There will enter through the gates of this city kings and princes seated on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses. Jeremiah 17:25; 22:4.

'Riding in chariots and on horses' is a prophecy meaning the abundance of things of the understanding, as becomes clear from very many places in the Prophets. Thus the prophecy that 'kings will enter through the gates of the city' means in the internal sense that they were to be endowed with truths of faith. This sense of the Word is the heavenly sense into which the worldly sense of the letter passes.

[4] In the same prophet,

Jehovah has spurned in His fierce indignation king and priest. The gates of Zion have sunk into the ground, He has destroyed and broken in pieces her bars. King and princes are among the nations; the law is no more. Lamentations 2:6, 9.

Here 'king' stands for the truth of faith, 'priest' for the good of charity, 'Zion' for the Church, which is destroyed and its bars broken in pieces. Consequently 'king and princes among the nations', that is, truth and what belongs to truth, will be so completely banished that 'the law is no more', that is, nothing of the doctrine of faith will exist any more. In Isaiah,

Before the boy knows to refuse evil and to choose good, the ground will be abandoned which you loathe in the presence of its two kings. Isaiah 7:16.

This refers to the Lord's Coming. 'The land that will be abandoned' stands for faith which at that time would not exist. 'The kings' are the truths of faith which would be loathed.

[5] In the same prophet,

I will lift up My hand to the nations and raise My ensign to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulder. Kings will be your foster fathers and their queens your wet-nurses. Isaiah 49:22-23.

'Nations' and 'daughters' stand for goods, 'peoples' and 'sons' for truths, as shown in Volume One. That 'nations' stands for goods, 1259, 1260, 1416, 1849, as does 'daughters', 489-491, while 'peoples' stands for truths, 1259, 1260, as does 'sons', 489, 491, 533, 1147. 'Kings' therefore stands for truths, in general by which they will be nourished, and 'queens' for goods by which they will be suckled. Whether you speak of goods and truths or of those who are governed by goods and truths it amounts to the same.

[6] In the same prophet,

He will spatter many nations, kings will shut their mouths because of him, ¹ for that which has [not] been told them they have seen, and that which they have not heard they have understood. Isaiah 52:15.

This refers to the Lord's Coming. 'Nations' stands for those who are stirred by an affection for goods, 'kings' those who are stirred by an affection for truths. In David,

Now, O kings, be intelligent; be instructed, O judges of the earth. Serve Jehovah with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son lest He perhaps be angry and you perish in the way. Psalms 2:10-12.

'Kings' stands for people who are governed by truths, and who by virtue of truths are also in many places called 'king's sons'. 'The Son' here stands for the Lord, and he is called the Son here because he is Truth itself, and the source of all truth.

[7] In John,

They will sing a new song, You are worthy to take the Book and to open its seals. You have made us kings and priests to our God so that we shall reign on the earth. Revelation 5:9-10.

Here people who are governed by truths are called 'kings'. The Lord also calls them 'the sons of the kingdom' in Matthew,

He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the seed are the sons of the kingdom, and the tares are the sons of the evil one. Matthew 13:37-38.

In John,

The sixth angel poured out his bowl over the great river Euphrates and its water was dried up to prepare the way of the kings who were from the east. Revelation 16:12.

'Euphrates' clearly does not mean the Euphrates, nor does 'kings from the east' mean kings from that quarter. What 'Euphrates' does mean may be seen in 120, 1585, 1866, from which it is evident that 'the way of the kings who were from the cast' means truths of faith that derive from goods of love.

[8] In the same book,

The nations that are saved will walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory and honour into it. Revelation 21:24.

Here 'nations' stands for people who are governed by goods, 'kings of the earth' for those who are governed by truths, which is also evident from the fact that the details here are prophetical, not historical. In the same book,

With the great harlot seated on many waters the kings of the earth have committed whoredom and have become drunk with the wine of her whoredom. Revelation 17:2.

And elsewhere in the same book,

Babylon has given all nations drink from the wine of the fury of her whoredom; and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her. Revelation 18:1, 3, 9.

Here similarly it is clear that 'the kings of the earth' does not mean kings, for the subject is the falsification and adulteration of the doctrine of faith, that is, of truth, which are 'whoredom'. 'Kings of the earth' stands for truths that have been falsified and adulterated.

[9] In the same book,

The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom but are receiving authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These will be of one mind, and they will hand over power and authority to the beast. Revelation 17:12-13.

That 'kings' here does not mean kings may also be evident to anyone. If kings were meant, then 'ten kings receiving authority as kings for one hour' would be quite unintelligible, as similarly with the following words in the same book,

I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered to make war with Him who was sitting on the horse, and with His army. Revelation 19:19

In verse 13 of the same chapter it is stated explicitly that the One who was sitting on the horse was The Word of God, against which the kings of the earth are said to have been gathered. 'The beast' stands for goods of love that have been profaned, 'kings' for truths of faith that have been adulterated; these are called 'kings of the earth' because they exist within the Church - 'earth' meaning the Church, see 662, 1066, 1067, 1262. 'The white horse' stands for the understanding of truth, 'He who was sitting on the horse' for the Word. This matter is plainer still in Daniel 11, describing the war between the king of the south and the king of the north, by which is meant the conflict of truths with falsities. Here such conflicts are described as a war that took place in history.

[10] Since 'a king' means truth, what is meant in the internal sense when the Lord is called King, and also a Priest, is made clear; and what essential quality of the Lord was represented by kings, and what by priests, is also made clear. 'Kings' represented His Divine Truth, and 'priests' His Divine Good. All the laws of order by which the Lord governs the universe as King are truths, while all the laws by which He governs the universe as Priest and by which He rules even over truths themselves are goods. For government from truths alone condemns everyone to hell, but government from goods lifts them out of that place and raises them up into heaven; see 1728. Because, in the Lord's case, these two - truths and goods - are joined together, they were also represented in ancient times by kingship and priesthood combined, as with Melchizedek who was at one and the same time king of Salem and priest to God Most High, Genesis 14:18. And at a later time among the Jews where the representative Church was established in a form of its own He was represented by judges and priests, and after that by kings.

[11] But because 'kings' represented truths which ought not to be paramount for the reason, already stated, that they condemn, the very idea was so objectionable that the Jews were reproached for it. The nature of truth regarded in itself has been described in 1 Samuel 8:11-18, as the rights of a king; and previous to that, in Moses, in Deuteronomy 17:14-18, they had been commanded through Moses to choose genuine truth deriving from good, not spurious truth, and not to pollute it with reasonings and factual knowledge. These are the considerations which the directive concerning a king given in the place in Moses referred to above embodies within itself. No one can possibly see this from the sense of the letter, but it is nevertheless evident from the details within the internal sense. This shows why 'a king' and 'kingship' represented and meant nothing other than truth.

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