4831. And her name was Tamar. That this signifies the quality of the church, that it was a church representative of spiritual and celestial things, is evident from the signification of “name,” as being the quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421), here the quality of the church, because in this chapter by Tamar is represented the church, and indeed a church representative of spiritual and celestial things which was to be instituted among the posterity of Judah. That this church is represented by Tamar, is evident from what follows. This entire chapter in the internal sense treats of the Jewish Church, that it should become representative of the spiritual and celestial things of the Lord’s kingdom, as had been the Ancient Church; and this not only in external, but also in internal form. For the church is not a church from externals, that is, from rituals, but from internals, which are essential, while externals are only formal. The posterity of Jacob were such as not to be willing to receive internal things; therefore with them the Ancient Church could not be renewed, but only a representative of that Church (n. 4307, 4444, 4500). The internal of the church here is Tamar, and its external is Judah with his three sons by the Canaanite woman.

145. In the Word also by “name” is signified the essence of a thing, and by “seeing and calling by name” is signified to know the quality. As in Isaiah:

I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, Jehovah, who call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant’s sake, and Israel My chosen, I have even called thee by thy name, I have surnamed thee, and thou hast not known Me (Isaiah 45:3-4).

In this passage, to “call by name” and to “surname” signifies to foreknow the quality. Again:

Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall declare (Isaiah 62:2), signifying to become of another character, as appears from the preceding and subsequent verses. Again:

Fear not, O Israel, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine (Isaiah 43:1),

denoting that He knew their quality. Again in the same Prophet:

Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their army by number. He will call them all by name (Isaiah 40:26),

meaning that He knew them all. In the Revelation:

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments: he that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels (Revelation 3:4-5).

Whose names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 13:8).

By “names” in these passages are by no means meant names, but qualities; nor is the name of anyone ever known in heaven, but his quality.