6804. And God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. That this signifies by reason of conjunction with the church through the Lord’s Divine Human, is evident from the signification of “covenant,” as being conjunction (of which in what follows); and from the representation of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with whom a covenant was made, as being the Lord’s Divine Human. (That Abraham represents the Lord as to the Divine Itself, Isaac as to the Divine rational, and Jacob as to the Divine natural, see n. 1893, 2011, 2066, 2072, 2083, 2630, 3194, 3210, 3245, 3251, 3305, 3439, 3576, 3599, 3704, 4180, 4286, 4538, 4570, 4615, 6098, 6185, 6276, 6425.) That where mention is made of “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” in the Word, in the spiritual sense these men are not meant, can be seen from the fact that names never penetrate into heaven, but only what is signified by those who are named, thus the things themselves, their quality and their states, which are of the church and of the Lord’s kingdom, and which are of the Lord Himself.

[2] And moreover the angels in heaven never determine their thoughts to the individual persons, for this would be to limit the thoughts, and to withdraw them from the universal perception of the things, from which is angelic speech. Hence what the angels speak in heaven is unutterable to man, and far above his thought, which is not extended to universals, but confined to particulars. When therefore we read this:

Many shall come from the east and the west, and shall recline with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens (Matthew 8:11).

The angels perceive the Lord’s presence and the appropriation of the truth and good which proceed from His Divine Human. Also when we read that

Lazarus was taken up into Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22).

The angels perceive that he was taken up into heaven where the Lord is present. Hence also it can be seen that by the “covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” in the internal sense is meant conjunction through the Lord’s Divine Human.

[3] That the Divine Human is a “covenant,” that is, conjunction itself, can be seen from many passages in the Word, as in Isaiah:

I will give Thee for a covenant to the people, for a light of the nations (Isaiah 42:6).

I gave Thee for a covenant of the people, to restore the land, to divide the wasted heritages (Isaiah 49:8).

Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hear and your soul shall live; so will I make a covenant of eternity with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold I have given Him for a witness to the peoples, a prince and a lawgiver to the nations (Isaiah 55:3-4).

The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His temple; and the Angel of the covenant whom ye desire, behold He cometh (Malachi 3:1).

He hath put for Me a covenant of eternity, to be disposed for all and to be kept (2 Samuel 23:5).

[4] In these passages the Lord is plainly treated of, and the conjunction of the human race with the Divine Itself of the Lord through His Divine Human. It is known in the church that the Lord as to the Divine Human is the Mediator, and that no one can come to the Divine Itself, which is in the Lord and is called the Father, except through the Son, that is, through the Divine Human. Thus the Lord as to the Divine Human is the conjunction. Who can comprehend the Divine Itself by any thought? And if he cannot comprehend it in thought, who can be conjoined with it in love? But everyone can comprehend the Divine Human in thought, and be conjoined with it in love.

[5] That a “covenant” denotes conjunction can be seen from the covenants made between kingdoms, and that by these they are joined together; and that there are stipulations on each side, which are to be kept, in order that the conjunction may be inviolate. These stipulations or compacts are also called a “covenant.” The stipulations or compacts which in the Word are called a “covenant” are on the part of man, in a close sense, the ten commandments, or Decalogue; in a wider sense they are all the statutes, commandments, laws, testimonies, precepts, which the Lord enjoined from Mount Sinai through Moses; and in a sense still more wide they are the books of Moses, the contents of which were to be observed on the part of the sons of Israel. On the part of the Lord the “covenant” is mercy and election.

[6] That the ten commandments or Decalogue are a “covenant” is evident from Moses:

Jehovah hath told you His covenant, which He commanded you to do, the ten words which He wrote on two tables of stone (Deuteronomy 4:13, 23).

And because the two tables of stone, on which the ten commandments were written, were stored up in the ark (Exodus 25:16, 21-22; 31:18; 32:15-16, 19; 40:20), therefore the ark was called the “ark of the covenant” (Deuteronomy 31:9, 24-26; Josh. 3:3, 6, 14; 4:7; Judg. 20:27; 2 Samuel 15:24; 1 Kings 8:21). In the last passage cited, Solomon thus speaks:

There I have set a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of Jehovah which He made with our fathers (1 Kings 8:21).

And in John:

The temple of God was opened in heaven; and there was seen in His temple the ark of His covenant (Revelation 11:19).

[7] That all the judgments and statutes which the Lord commanded through Moses to the people of Israel, were called the “covenant,” as were also the books of Moses themselves, is evident from Moses:

After the mouth of these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel (Exodus 34:27).

The things which are here called a “covenant” were the many in regard to sacrifices, feasts, and unleavened bread.

Moses took the book of the covenant, and read in the ears of the people, who said, All that Jehovah hath spoken we will do and hear (Exodus 24:7-8.

Josiah, king of Judah, in the house of Jehovah in the presence of them all read the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of Jehovah. And he made a covenant before Jehovah, to establish the words of the covenant written in that book; and all the people stood to the covenant. The king commanded all the people that they should perform the passover to Jehovah God, as it is written in this book of the covenant (2 Kings 23:2-3, 21).

If thy sons will keep My covenant and My testimony that I have taught them, their sons also shall sit on thy throne forevermore (Psalms 132:12).

[8] That a “covenant” denotes conjunction through love and faith is evident from Moses:

Behold the days come, said Jehovah, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, because they rendered My covenant vain; but this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days: I will put My law in the midst of them, and I will write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people (Jeremiah 31:31-33);

“to put a law in the midst of them, and to write it on their heart” is to endow with faith and charity; through faith and charity the conjunction is made which is described by the words, “I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will no more turn away from them; and I will do well to them; and I will put My fear in their heart, that they shall not depart from Me (Jeremiah 32:40).

Conjunction through love, which is the “covenant,” is signified by, “I will put My fear in their heart, that they shall not depart from Me.”

[9] In Ezekiel:

I will make a covenant of peace with them, a covenant of eternity it shall be with them; and I will give them, and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them; and My habitation shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people (Ezekiel 37:26-27);

here conjunction through love and faith, which are a “covenant,” is described by “a sanctuary in the midst of them,” and by “a habitation with them,” and by the words, “I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

When I passed by thee, and saw thee, that behold it was thy time, the time of loves, and I entered into a covenant with thee, that thou shouldest be Mine (Ezekiel 16:8);

speaking of Jerusalem, whereby is signified the Ancient Church; that “to enter into a covenant that thou shouldest be Mine” is marriage, or spiritual conjunction, is plain. As a “covenant” signifies conjunction, a wife is also called “a wife of the covenant” (Malachi 2:14); and conjunction among brethren is called “the covenant of brethren” (Amos 1:9).

By “covenant” is also signified conjunction in David:

I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to David My servant (Psalms 89:3).

[10] That the compact of a covenant on the part of the Lord is mercy and election, is evident in David:

All the ways of Jehovah are mercy and truth to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies (Psalms 25:10).

The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My mercy shall not depart, and the covenant of My peace shall not be removed, saith thy compassionate One, Jehovah (Isaiah 54:10).

Jehovah thy God, He is God, the faithful God, keeping covenant and mercy with them that love Him, and that keep His commandments, to the thousandth generation (Deuteronomy 7:9, 12).

If ye will keep My covenant, ye shall be unto Me for a peculiar treasure from all peoples (Exodus 19:5),

I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and will establish My covenant with you (Leviticus 26:9);

“to have respect unto them” is of mercy; “to make them fruitful and multiply them” is to endow them with charity and faith; they who are endowed with these gifts are called the “elect;” so that these are words of election; and also the words “they shall be for a peculiar treasure.”

[11] Signs of a covenant existed also in the representative church, and were such as reminded of conjunction. Circumcision was such a sign (Genesis 17:11); for “circumcision” signified purification from filthy loves, on the removal of which, heavenly love is instilled, through which is conjunction. The Sabbath is also called “an eternal covenant” (Exodus 31:16). It is said also that “the show-bread should be to the sons of Israel for an eternal covenant” (Leviticus 24:8) and especially the “blood”, as is evident from Moses:

Moses took the book of the covenant, and read in the ears of the people, who said, All that Jehovah hath spoken we will do and hear; then Moses took the blood of the peace sacrifice, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant which Jehovah hath made with you over all these words (Exodus 24:7-8),

By the blood of Thy covenant I will send forth the bound out of the pit wherein is no water (Zech. 9:11

Blood was a covenant, or the token of a covenant, because it signified conjunction through spiritual love, that is, through charity toward the neighbor; therefore when the Lord instituted the Holy Supper, He called His blood the “blood of the new covenant” (Matthew 26:28). From all this it can now be seen what is meant by a “covenant” in the Word in the internal sense.

4286. And he said, Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel. That this signifies the Divine celestial spiritual now, and that “Israel” is the celestial spiritual man which is in the natural, and thus is natural; and that the celestial spiritual man itself, which is rational is “Joseph,” is evident from what follows concerning Jacob and concerning Israel, and also concerning Joseph; for it must first be told what is here meant by the celestial spiritual. It is indeed known in the church at the present day that there is a spiritual man and a natural man, or an internal man and an external man; but what the spiritual or internal man is, is not yet so well known; and still less what the celestial man is, and that it is distinct from the spiritual; and as this is not known, it cannot be known what the celestial spiritual man is, which here is “Israel,” and therefore this must be briefly told.

[2] That there are three heavens, is known, namely, an inmost heaven, a middle, and an ultimate; or what is the same, a third, a second, and a first. The inmost or third heaven is celestial; for the angels there are called celestial because they are in love to the Lord, and are therefore most fully conjoined with the Lord, and are consequently in wisdom above all the rest, are innocent, and hence are called innocences and wisdoms. These angels are distinguished into the internal and the external, the internal being more celestial than the external. The middle or second heaven is spiritual; for the angels there are called spiritual because they are in charity toward the neighbor, that is, in mutual love, which is such that the one loves the other more than himself; and because they are such they are in intelligence, and are hence called intelligences. These angels are also distinguished into the internal and the external, the internal being more spiritual than the external. The ultimate or first heaven is likewise celestial and spiritual, but not in the same degree as the prior ones; for what is natural adheres to these angels, and they are therefore called the celestial natural and the spiritual natural. These also are in mutual love, yet do not love others more than themselves, but as themselves. They are in the affection of good and knowledge of truth, and are likewise distinguished into the internal and the external.

[3] But what the celestial spiritual is, shall also be briefly told. Those are called the celestial spiritual who were said just above to be the spiritual, and they are in the middle or second heaven; they are termed “celestial” from mutual love, and “spiritual” from the derivative intelligence. The internal angels there are those who are represented by Joseph, and are also called “Joseph” in the Word; but the external there are those who are represented by Israel, and are also called “Israel” in the Word. The former (that is, the internal angels who are called “Joseph”) partake of the rational; but the external who are called “Israel,” partake of the natural, for these are midway between the rational and the natural. This is the reason why it is said that Israel is the celestial spiritual man which is in the natural, and thus is natural; and that Joseph is the celestial spiritual man itself, which is rational. For in the universal sense all the good which is of love and charity is called celestial, and all the derivative truth of faith and intelligence is said to be spiritual.

[4] These things have been stated in order that it may be known what “Israel” denotes. But in the supreme sense “Israel” signifies the Lord as to the Divine celestial spiritual, and in the internal sense signifies the Lord’s spiritual kingdom in heaven and on earth. The Lord’s spiritual kingdom on earth is the church which is called the Spiritual Church. And because “Israel” denotes the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, “Israel” likewise denotes the spiritual man, for in every such man there is the Lord’s kingdom; for a man is a heaven, and is also a church, in the least form (n. 4279). As regards Jacob, by him in the supreme sense is represented the Lord as to the natural, both celestial and spiritual; and in the internal sense the Lord’s kingdom such as it is in the ultimate or first heaven, and consequently also the same in the church. Good in the natural is what is here called celestial, and truth in the same is what is called spiritual. From these things it is evident what is signified by “Israel” and by “Jacob” in the Word, and also why Jacob was named Israel.

[5] But these things which have been said must needs appear obscure, especially for the reason that it is known to few what the spiritual man is, and to scarcely anyone what the celestial man is, consequently that there is any distinction between the spiritual and the celestial man. The reason why this has not been known, is that there is no distinct perception of the good of love and charity, and of the truth which is of faith; and these are not perceived because there is no longer any genuine charity, and where anything is not, there is no perception of it. Another reason is that man is little solicitous about the things that belong to the life after death, thus about the things of heaven, but is very much so about those which belong to the life of the body, and thus about the things that are of the world. If man were solicitous about the things that belong to the life after death, thus about the things of heaven, he would easily apprehend all the things that have been said above; for that which a man loves he easily imbibes and apprehends, but with difficulty what he does not love.

[6] That “Jacob” signifies one thing and “Israel” another, is plainly evident from the Word; for in the historical parts, and also in the prophetical, it is now said “Jacob,” and now “Israel,” and sometimes both are said in the same verse; from which it is evident that there is an internal sense in the Word, and that without this sense this circumstance cannot possibly be understood. That “Jacob” is now said, and now “Israel,” is evident from the following passages:

Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojournings. These are the births of Jacob; Joseph was a son of seventeen years, and Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons (Genesis 37:1-3); where Jacob is first called “Jacob” and presently “Israel;” and he is called Israel when Joseph is treated of. Again:

Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons. And the sons of Israel came to buy in the midst of those who came (Genesis 42:1, 5).

And afterwards:

They went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father; and when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he spoke unto them, the spirit of Jacob their father revived; and Israel said, It is much, Joseph my son is yet alive (45:25, 27-28).

Again:

And Israel journeyed, and all that he had. God said unto Israel in the visions of the night, and He said, Jacob, Jacob, who said, Behold me. And Jacob rose up from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried down Jacob their father (Genesis 46:1-2, 5).

And in the same chapter:

These are the names of the sons of Israel that came into Egypt, of Jacob and his sons (Genesis 46:8).

Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh. Pharaoh said unto Jacob, and Jacob said unto Pharaoh (Genesis 47:7-9).

And in the same chapter:

And Israel dwelt in the land of Goshen; and Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; and the days of Israel drew near to die; and he called his son Joseph (Genesis 46:27-29).

Yet again:

And one told Jacob, and said, Behold thy son Joseph cometh unto thee; and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Shaddai appeared to me in Luz (Genesis 48:2-3).

And he is called Israel in the same chapter (verses 8, 10-11, 13-14, 20-21).

And lastly:

Jacob called his sons, and said, Assemble yourselves, and hear, ye sons of Jacob, and listen unto Israel your father. And when Jacob had made an end of charging his sons (Genesis 49:1-2, 33)

From these passages it is very evident that Jacob is now called Jacob, and now Israel, and thus that Jacob means one thing, and Israel another; or that one thing is signified when it is said “Jacob,” and another when “Israel,” and also that this arcanum cannot possibly be understood except from the internal sense.

[7] But what “Jacob” signifies, and what “Israel,” has been told above. In general by “Jacob” in the Word is signified what is external of the church, and by “Israel” what is internal; for every church has an external and also an internal, or is internal and also external. And as that which is of the church is signified by “Jacob” and by “Israel,” and as everything of the church is from the Lord, hence in the supreme sense both “Jacob” and “Israel” denote the Lord, “Jacob” as to the Divine natural, and “Israel” as to the Divine spiritual. Thus the external which is of the Lord’s kingdom and of His church, is “Jacob,” and the internal is “Israel”—as is further evident from the following passages, in which each is named in its own sense. In the prophecy of Jacob, then Israel:

By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel (Genesis 49:24).

In Isaiah:

Hear, O Jacob, My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen; I will pour out My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thy sons; this one shall say to Jehovah, I and this one shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and that one shall write with his hand unto Jehovah, and surname himself by the name of Israel (Isaiah 44:1, 3, 5); where “Jacob” and “Israel” manifestly denote the Lord, and the “seed and sons of Jacob and Israel,” those who are in faith in Him. In the prophecy of Balaam in Moses:

Who shall number the dust of Jacob, and the number with the fourth part of Israel? (Numbers 23:10).

And again:

There is no divination against Jacob, nor sorceries against Israel; at this time it shall be said to Jacob and to Israel, What hath God wrought! (Numbers 23:23).

Again:

How good are thy tabernacles O Jacob, thy dwelling places, O Israel (Numbers 24:4-5).

And again:

There shall arise a star out of Jacob, and a scepter out of Israel (Numbers 24:17).

In Isaiah:

My glory will I not give to another. Attend to me, O Jacob, and Israel My called. I am the same; I am the first, I also am the last (Isaiah 48:11-12).

In the same:

Jacob shall enroot those who come; and Israel shall blossom and flower; and the faces of the world shall be filled with produce (Isaiah 27:6).

In Jeremiah:

Fear not thou, O Jacob My servant, and be not terrified, O Israel; for lo I have saved thee from afar (Jeremiah 30:9-10).

In Micah:

In gathering I will gather Jacob, all of thee; in assembling I will assemble the remains of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah (Micah 2:12).

[8] For what reason Jacob was named Israel is evident from the very words when this name was given him: “Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel; for as a prince hast thou contended with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” For in the original language “Israel” means “one that contends with God as a prince,” by which is signified in the internal sense that He overcame in the combats of temptations; for temptations and combats in temptations were the means by which the Lord made His Human Divine (n. 1737, 1813, and elsewhere); and temptations and victories in temptations are what make man spiritual; for which reason Jacob was for the first time named Israel after he wrestled. (That “wrestling” denotes being tempted may be seen above, n. 4274.) It is known that the Church, or the man of the Christian Church, calls himself Israel; and yet no one in the Church is Israel but he who has become a spiritual man by means of temptations. The name itself also involves the same. That it was afterwards confirmed that Jacob should be called Israel, is evident from what follows in another chapter, where are these words:

God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him; and God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob; thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name; and He called his name Israel (Genesis 35:9-10).

The reason of this confirmation will be told hereafter.