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Mooseksen kirja 32

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1 Kuulkaat te taivaat, minä puhun, ja maa kuulkaan minun suuni sanoja.

2 Minun oppini tiukkukaan niinkuin sade, minun puheeni vuotakaan niinkuin kaste, niinkuin sade vihannon päälle ja niinkuin pisarat ruohon päälle.

3 Sillä minä ylistän Herran nimeä: antakaat meidän Jumalallemme suuri kunnia.

4 Hän on kallio, hänen työnsä ovat laittamattomat, sillä kaikki hänen tiensä ovat oikiat; vakaa on Jumala, ilman kaikkea vääryyttä, hän on vanhurskas ja oikia.

5 Onko hän hänen turmellut? Ei, vaan hänen lapsensa ovat heidän häpiäpilkkunsa; se on nurja ja sekaseurainen suku.

6 Niinköstä te Herralle maksatte, hullu ja tyhmä kansa? Eikö hän ole sinun Isäs ja sinun Lunastajas, joka sinun luonut ja valmistanut on?

7 Muista muinaisia aikoja, ymmärrä vuosikaudet suvusta sukuun; kysy isältäs, ja hän ilmoittaa sinulle, ja vanhimmiltas, niin he sinulle sanovat.

8 Kuin kaikkein korkein jakoi pakanat ja hajoitti ihmisten lapset, silloin hän laski kansain maan rajat, Israelin lasten luvun jälkeen.

9 Sillä Herran osa on hänen oma kansansa, Jakob on hänen perimisensä nuora.

10 Hän löysi hänen erämaassa ja hirmuisessa suuressa itkukorvessa. Hän vei hänen ympäri, hän opetti hänen ymmärtämään ja varjeli häntä niinkuin silmäteräänsä,

11 Niinkuin kotka kehoittelee pesäänsä ja laukuilee poikainsa päällä, levittää siipensä, ottaa kunkin heistä ja kantaa siipeinsä päällä,

12 Niin Herra yksinänsä talutti häntä, ja ei ollut hänen kanssansa muuta Jumalaa.

13 Hän vei hänen hamaan maan korkeuteen, ja ruokki hänen pellon hedelmällä, ja antoi hänen imeä hunajaa kalliosta ja öljyä kovasta kivestä,

14 Voita lehmistä, ja rieskaa lampaista, ynnä karitsain lihavuuden kanssa, ja Basanin oinaat, ja lihavat kauriit, ja parhaan nisun, ja juotti hänen parhaalla viinamarjan verellä.

15 Ja Israel lihoi, tuli vikuriksi, lihavaksi, paksuksi ja väkeväksi, ja hylkäsi Jumalan, joka hänen teki, ja katsoi autuutensa kallion ylön.

16 He yllyttivät hänen kiivauteen muukalaisten kautta, kauhistusten kautta vihoittivat he hänen.

17 He uhrasivat perkeleille, eikä Jumalalle, jumalille, joita ei he tunteneet, vasta-uutisille, jotka ei ennen olleet, joita isänne ei peljänneet.

18 Kallion, joka sinun siitti, sinä hyljäsit, ja unhotit Jumalan, joka sinun loi.

19 Ja Herra näki sen, ja vihastui, poikainsa ja tyttäriensä kehoituksen tähden,

20 Ja sanoi: minä peitän kasvoni heidän edestänsä, ja katson mitä heidän viimeiseltä tapahtuu; sillä se on nurja suku ja senkaltaiset lapset, joissa ei ole uskoa.

21 He härsyttelivät minua sen kautta, joka ei ole jumala, epäjumaluutensa kautta ovat he minun vihoittaneet ja minä vihoitan heitä jälleen sen kautta, joka ei ole kansa, tyhmällä kansalla minä heitä vihoitan.

22 Sillä tuli on syttynyt minun vihassani, ja polttaa hamaan alimaiseen helvettiin, ja kuluttaa maan, ynnä hänen hedelmänsä kanssa, ja polttaa vuorten perustukset.

23 Minä kokoon kaiken onnettomuuden heidän päällensä, minä ammun kaikki nuoleni heihin.

24 Nälästä heidän pitää hiukahtuman ja poltetaudilla kulutettaman, ja äkillisellä kuolemalla; minä lähetän metsän petoin hampaat heidän keskellensä, ja kyykärmeen myrkyn.

25 Ulkona pitää miekan heitä hävittämän ja sisällä huoneessa pelvon, sekä nuorukaiset että neitseet, imeväiset ja harmaapäät.

26 Minä sanoin: minä hävittäisin heitä, minä lakkauttaisin heidän muistonsa ihmisistä,

27 Ellen minä vihollisteni vihaa karttaisi, ettei heidän vainollisensa ylpeilisi, ja lähes sanoisi: meidän oikia kätemme on kaikki nämät tehnyt, eikä Herra.

28 Sillä se on kansa, jossa ei mitään neuvoa ole, eikä ymmärrystä.

29 Jospa he taitavaiset olisivat, niin he ymmärtäisivät ja huomaitsisivat, mitä heille viimeiseltä tapahtuu.

30 Kuinka yksi ajais tuhatta takaa ja kaksi karkottaisi kymmenentuhatta heistä? Eikö sentähden, että heidän kallionsa on heidät myynyt? ja Herra on heidät sulkenut?

31 Sillä ei ole meidän kalliomme niinkuin heidän kallionsa, ja meidän vihollisemme ovat meidän tuomarimme.

32 Sillä heidän viinapuunsa on Sodoman viinapuusta ja Gomorran pelloista, heidän viinamarjansa myrkylliset viinamarjat, heillä ovat karvahimmat marjat.

33 Heidän viinansa on lohikärmeen kiukkuvahto, ja kyykärmetten hirmullinen myrkky.

34 Eikö se liene kätketty minun tykönäni? ja sinetillä lukittu minun tavaroissani?

35 Minun on kosto, minä kostan, heidän jalkansa pitää ajallansa kompastuman; sillä heidän kadotuksensa aika on läsnä, ja mikä heille tarjontelee, se rientää.

36 Sillä Herra tuomitsee kansansa, ja armahtaa palveliaansa; sillä hän näkee, että käsi on poissa, ja ei ole mitään tallella pidetty eikä jätetty.

37 Ja pitää sanottaman: kussa heidän Jumalansa ovat? heidän kallionsa, johonka he uskalsivat?

38 Joiden lihavimmat uhrit he söivät, ja joivat viinan heidän juomauhristansa, nouskaan ne ja auttakaan teitä ja varjelkaan teitä.

39 Nähkäät nyt, että minä itse olen, ja ei ole jumalia minun kanssani. Minä kuoletan ja teen eläväksi, minä lyön ja minä parannan, ja ei kenkään ole, joka minun käsistäni vapahtaa.

40 Sillä minä nostan käteni taivaasen ja sanon: minä elän ijankaikkisesti.

41 Kuin minä hion miekkani niinkuin pitkäisen leimauksen, ja minun käteni rupee rangaistukseen, niin minä koston maksan minun vihollisilleni, ja niille palkitsen, jotka minua vihaavat.

42 Minä juotan nuoleni verellä, ja miekkani pitää lihaa syömän tapettuiden verestä, ja vangittuiden ja vihollisten paljastetusta päästä.

43 Riemuitkaat te kaikki, jotka olette hänen kansansa; sillä hän kostaa palveliainsa veren. Ja kostaa vihollisillensa, ja sovittaa maansa ja kansansa.

44 Ja Moses tuli ja puhui kaikki nämät veisun sanat tämän kansan kuullen, hän ja Josua Nunin poika.

45 Ja Moses päätti kaikki nämät sanat koko Israelille,

46 Ja sanoi heille: pankaat sydämeenne kaikki ne sanat, jotka minä teille tänäpänä todistin, että te käskisitte teidän lapsianne, tekemään ja pitämään kaikki tämän lain sanat.

47 Sillä ei siinä ole teille yhtään turhaa sanaa, vaan se on teidän elämänne; ja ne sanat pitentävät teidän ikänne maan päällä, johon te menette Jordanin ylitse, omistamaan sitä.

48 Ja Herra puhui Mosekselle sinä päivänä, ja sanoi:

49 Mene tälle Abarimin vuorelle, Nebon vuorelle, joka on Moabin maalla Jerihon kohdalla, ja katsele Kanaanin maata, jonka minä Israelin lapsille omaksi annan.

50 Sinun pitää kuoleman vuorella, johonkas menet, ja koottaman kansas tykö, niinkuin veljeskin Aaron kuoli Horin vuorella, ja koottiin kansan tykö,

51 Että te olette rikkoneet minua vastaan Israelin lasten seassa, riitaveden tykönä Kadeksessa Sinin korvessa: ettette minua pyhittäneet Israelin lasten seassa.

52 Sillä sinä näet maan kohdastansa; vaan ei sinun pidä siihen maahan tuleman, jonka minä Israelin lapsille annan.

   


SWORD version by Tero Favorin (tero at favorin dot com)

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Arcana Coelestia # 9780

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9780. 'And let them bring to you olive oil' means the good of charity and faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'olive oil' as the good of celestial love, dealt with in 886, but in the present verse the good of spiritual love, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour and the good of faith. The reason why the good of charity and faith is meant here by 'olive oil' is that it was for the light or lampstand, and 'the lampstand' means the spiritual heaven, 9548, the spiritual heaven on earth being the spiritual Church. 'Oil' and 'the olive tree' mean in the Word both celestial good and spiritual good, celestial good when the celestial kingdom or Church is the subject, and spiritual good when the spiritual kingdom or Church is the subject. What makes these kingdoms or Churches different from each other is the types of good. The celestial kingdom or Church's types of good are the good of love to the Lord and the good of mutual love, and the spiritual kingdom or Church's types of good are the good of charity towards the neighbour and the good of faith, 9741. These types of good and the types of truth that spring from them are the subject throughout the Word; for the Word consists wholly of teachings about good. It does so because it consists wholly of teachings about love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour, Matthew 22:35-40, and all good is an attribute of love, including the good of faith since this comes into being from the good of love and does not exist without it.

[2] Since the Word consists of teachings about good, people need to know what good is if they are to have any understanding of the Word. But no one can know what good is unless he tries to lead a good life in accordance with the Word. For when someone tries to lead a good life in accordance with the Word the Lord instills good into that person's life. The person then comes to perceive that good and has a feeling for it, and as a result recognizes the essential nature of it. In no other circumstances does it appear, because it does not come to be perceived. All this makes clear what the condition is of those who merely know the things contained in the Word, convince themselves that they are true, yet fail to act on them. They are people with no real awareness of good, nor consequently of truth, for truth is known from good, and never exists without good except as some piece of lifeless knowledge which passes away in the next life.

[3] The fact that 'oil' and 'olive' mean good is clear from places in the Word where they are mentioned, as in Zechariah,

I saw a lampstand of gold, two olive trees beside it, one on the right of the bowl and one to the left of it. These are the two sons of oil, standing beside the Lord of the whole earth. Zechariah 4:2-3, 14.

'Two olive trees' and 'the two sons of oil' are the good of love to the Lord, which is on His right, and the good of charity towards the neighbour, which is to His left. Something similar occurs in John,

The two witnesses prophesied one thousand two hundred and sixty days. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. Revelation 11:3-4.

'The two olive trees and the two lampstands' are the same two types of good, which, since they come from the Lord, are called 'the two witnesses'.

[4] In the same book,

I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, Do no harm to oil and wine. Revelation 6:6.

'Oil' stands for the good of love and charity, 'wine' for the good and truth of faith. In Isaiah,

I will plant 1 in the wilderness the cedar of shittah, and the myrtle, and the oil tree. 2 Isaiah 41:19.

In Jeremiah,

They will come and sing on the height of Zion, and converge towards the goodness of Jehovah, towards wheat, and towards new wine, and towards oil. Jeremiah 31:12.

In Joel,

The field has been devastated, the land has been mourning because the grain has been laid waste, the new wine has failed, the oil languishes. Joel 1:10.

In the same prophet,

The threshing-floors are full of clean grain, and the presses overflow with new wine and oil. Joel 2:24.

In Moses,

I will give the rain for your land in its season, that you may gather your grain, your new wine, and your oil. Deuteronomy 11:14.

[5] This verse speaks of grain, new wine, and oil, but it becomes clear to anyone who stops to consider the matter that it is not these actual products that are meant. For being Divine the Word is spiritual, not worldly, so that what it says does not have to do with grain, new wine, or oil of the land, inasmuch as they serve the body as forms of food, only inasmuch as they serve the soul. For all forms of food in the world mean, when mentioned in the Word, heavenly kinds of food, as also the bread and wine in the Holy Supper do. What it is that 'grain' and 'new wine' mean in the places quoted above, see 3580, 5295, 5410, 5959, from which it is evident what 'oil' means.

[6] The same applies to all those things spoken by the Lord when He was in the world, such as those regarding the Samaritan - that he went near the one wounded by the robbers, bound his wounds, and poured in oil and wine, Luke 10:33-34. In this instance oil and wine are not what is meant but the good of love and charity, the good of love by 'oil' and the good of charity and faith by 'wine'. For the subject is the neighbour, thus charity towards him. As regards this meaning of 'wine', see 6377.

[7] The same applies to the things spoken by the Lord regarding the ten virgins, five of whom took their lamps without at the same time any oil, and five who took theirs with oil as well - that the latter five were admitted into heaven, whereas the former five were turned away, Matthew 25:3-4ff. 'Oil in the lamps' is the good of love and charity within the truths of faith; 'the virgins who took lamps but no oil' are those who hear the Word, read it, and say that they are believers, yet do not on that account perform any good deed at all, or who if they do, are not moved by a love of good or of truth but by selfish and worldly love.

[8] Since oil was a sign of the good of charity the sick were also anointed with oil and healed, as it says about the Lord's disciples, that when they went out they cast out demons, and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them, Mark 6:13. In David,

You will make my head fat with oil, my cup will overflow. Psalms 23:5.

'Making the head fat with oil' stands for endowing with heavenly good. In Moses,

Jehovah fed [the people] with the produce of the fields; He caused them to suck honey out of the crag and oil out of the stony rock. Deuteronomy 32:13.

This refers to the Ancient Church. 'Sucking oil out of the stony rock' stands for being imbued with good through the truths of faith.

[9] In Habakkuk,

The fig tree will not blossom, neither will there be any produce on the vines; the olive crop will fail, 3 and the fields will not yield food. Habakkuk 3:17.

Neither the fig tree, vines, olives, nor fields should be understood here but the heavenly sources of food to which they correspond. This is also something which all who acknowledge that the Word has to do with such things as belong to heaven and the Church, and so to the soul, can recognize for themselves. But people who have no thought of anything other than worldly, earthly, and bodily things do not see it, indeed have no wish to see it. They say to themselves, What are spiritual things? What are heavenly realities? and so say, What are heavenly sources of food? They indeed know, when they are told, that these are the kinds of things which contribute to intelligence and wisdom, but they have no wish to know that they are what contribute to faith and love. They have no wish to know because they do not let such things enter into their life and as a result do not go far enough to attain intelligence and wisdom in heavenly truths and forms of goodness.

[10] In Ezekiel,

I washed you with water, and washed away the blood 4 from upon you, and anointed you with oil. I clothed you with embroidered cloth. Your garments were fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, and honey, and oil. But you took your embroidered garments and covered the images, and you set My oil and My incense before them. Ezekiel 16:9-10, 13, 18.

Is there anyone who cannot see that garments made of embroidered cloth, fine linen, or silk are not meant here, nor oil, honey, or fine flour, but Divine things belonging to heaven and the Church? For these words refer to Jerusalem, by which the Church is meant, and therefore the matters that are mentioned mean such things as have to do with the Church. Each detail clearly means something specific about the Church, for in the Word, which is Divine, not a single word is devoid of meaning. For the meaning of Jerusalem as the Church, see 3654; and as regards what anything further means, for 'embroidered cloth', 9688; 'fine linen', 5319, 9469; 'fine flour', 2177; 'honey', 5620, 6857; 'washing with water', 3147, 5954 (end), 9088; and 'washing away the blood', 4735, 9127.

[11] In Hosea,

Ephraim feeds the wind; they make a covenant with the Assyrian, and oil is carried down into Egypt. Hosea 12:1.

These words are altogether unintelligible unless one knows what is meant by 'Ephraim', 'the Assyrian', and 'Egypt'. They describe the understanding part in the mind of a member of the Church when that part is perverted by means of mere reasonings based on factual knowledge. For 'Ephraim' is that understanding part, 3969, 5354, 6222, 6238, 6267; 'the Assyrian' reasoning, 1186; and 'Egypt' factual knowledge, 9391. Consequently 'carrying oil down into Egypt' means defiling the Church's good in that manner.

[12] The reason why the Lord went so often up to the Mount of Olives, Luke 21:37; 22:39, was that 'oil' and 'olive' were signs of the good of love, as also was 'a mountain', 6435, 8758. This was so because while the Lord was in the world all things in Him were representative of heaven; through them the whole of heaven was linked to Him. Therefore whatever He did and whatever He spoke was Divine and heavenly, and the last and lowest things were representative. The Mount of Olives represented heaven in respect of the good of love and charity, as also becomes clear in Zechariah,

Jehovah will go out and fight against the nations; His feet will stand on that day upon the Mount of Olives, which faces 5 Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will be split, that part of it [may lean] towards the east and towards the sea, 6 with a large valley; and part of the mountain will move away towards the north, and part of it towards the south. Zechariah 14:3-4.

[13] This refers to the Lord and His Coming. 'The Mount of Olives' means the good of love and charity, and so means the Church, for those forms of good make the Church. The fact that the Church would depart from the Jewish nation and be established among gentile nations is meant by the description that this mountain would be split towards the east, towards the sea, and towards the north and south. Something similar is meant by the Lord's words in Luke,

You yourselves will be thrown out of doors. On the other hand people will come from the east and the west, and from the north and the south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. Luke 13:28-29.

The overall meaning of the statement that Jehovah will go out and fight against the nations, and His feet will stand upon the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem, is that the Lord would fight from Divine Love against the hells; for evils springing from the hells are meant by 'the nations', 1868, 6306, and Divine Love by 'the Mount of Olives' on which His feet will stand.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, give

2. literally, the wood of oil

3. literally, the work of the olive will lie (i.e. prove false)

4. literally, your bloods

5. literally, which is before the face of

6. i.e. the west

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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Arcana Coelestia # 2009

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2009. That 'no longer will your name be called Abram' means that He will cast off the human, and that 'your name will be Abraham' means that He will put on the Divine, is clear from the meaning of 'name', also from the meaning of 'Abram', and after that of 'Abraham'. When the phrase 'your name will be' is used in the Word it means the nature of, that is, what a person's nature is going to be like, as is clear from what has been brought forward in Volume One, in 144, 145, 1754. And since 'names means the nature of, a name includes everything in its entirety within that person, for in heaven no attention is paid to someone's name, but when anyone is referred to by name, or when a name is used, a mental picture of his nature comes up, that is, of all that is his, with him and in him. This is why 'name' in the Word means the nature of. To make this matter clearer to the understanding let further confirmatory quotations from the Word be introduced, such as in the Blessing in Moses,

Jehovah bless you and keep you; Jehovah make His face 1 shine upon you and be merciful to you; Jehovah lift up His face 1 upon you and give you peace.

So shall they put My name upon the sons of Israel. Numbers 6:24-27.

From this it is evident what 'name' and 'putting Jehovah's name upon the sons of Israel' means, namely that Jehovah blesses, keeps, enlightens, is merciful, and gives peace, and that such is Jehovah's or the Lord's nature.

[2] In the Ten Commandments,

You shall not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain, for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless who has taken His name in vain. Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11.

Here taking God's name in vain does not mean His name but every single thing deriving from Him, and so every single thing belonging to the worship of Him, which must not be treated with disdain, still less be blasphemed and defiled by what is filthy. In the Lord's Prayer,

Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, as in heaven so on earth. Luke 11:2.

Nor in this instance is 'name' used to mean name but all things that belong to love and faith, for these are God's, or the Lord's, and derive from Him. Since the latter are holy, the Lord's kingdom comes, and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven, when they are upheld as being holy.

[3] That 'name' means such things is clear from all the places in the Old Testament Word and in the New where the word 'name' is used, as in Isaiah,

You will say on that day, Confess Jehovah, call on His name, make His deeds known among the peoples, make mention that His name is exalted. Isaiah 12:4.

Here 'calling on the name of Jehovah' and 'making mention that it is exalted' does not in any way mean making the name itself an object of worship, or believing that Jehovah is called on by the mere uttering of His name, but by knowing His nature, and so every single thing that derives from Him. In the same prophet,

Therefore in the Urim give honour to Jehovah, in the isles of the sea to the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel. Isaiah 24:15.

Here 'in the Urim give honour to Jehovah' means worship based on the holy things of love, 'in the isles of the sea to the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel' worship based on the holy things of faith.

[4] In the same prophet,

Jehovah our God, in You alone will we make mention of Your name. Isaiah 26:13.

And in the same prophet,

I will stir up one from the north, and he will come, from the rising of the sun he will call on My name. Isaiah 41:25.

Here 'making mention of' and 'calling on the name of Jehovah' is worshipping from the goods of love and the truths of faith. Those 'from the north' are people outside the Church who do not know the name of Jehovah but who do nevertheless call on His name when they are leading charitable lives one with another and venerate some deity as the Creator of the universe, for it is the worship and what constitutes it, not the name, that calling on Jehovah entails. That the Lord is also present with gentiles, see 932, 1032, 1059.

[5] In the same prophet,

The nations will see your righteousness and all the kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name which the mouth of Jehovah will announce. Isaiah 62:2.

Here 'you will be called by a new name' stands for becoming a different person, that is to say, as a result of being created anew or regenerated, and so stands for becoming such. In Micah,

All the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God for ever and eternally. Micah 4:5.

'Walking in the name of its god' clearly stands for worship that is profane, while 'walking in the name of Jehovah' stands for true worship. In Malachi,

From the rising of the sun and even to its setting, great is My name among the nations; and in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure minchah, for great is My name among the nations. Malachi 1:11.

Here 'name' is not used to mean the name but the worship; and this worship is the essential nature of Jehovah or the Lord, from which He wills to be adored.

[6] In Moses,

The place which Jehovah your God chooses out of all the tribes to put His name there, and to make His name dwell there, to that place shall you bring all that I am commanding you. Deuteronomy 12:5, 11, 14; 16:2, 6, 11.

Here also 'putting His name' and 'making His name dwell there' do not mean the name but the worship, and so Jehovah's or the Lord's essential nature from which He is to be worshipped. His nature consists in the good of love and the truth of faith, it being with those who are governed by such good and truth that Jehovah's name dwells. In Jeremiah,

Go to My place which is in Shiloh where I made My name dwell at first. Jeremiah 7:12.

Here similarly 'name' stands for worship, and so for doctrine concerning true faith. It may become clear to anyone that Jehovah does not dwell with somebody who merely knows and utters His name, for without any conception and recognition of His essential nature, and without any belief in it, the name by itself is a mere verbal expression. From this it is evident that the word 'name' means the nature of, and the knowledge of that nature.

[7] In Moses,

At that time Jehovah set apart the tribe of Levi to serve Him and to bless in His name. Deuteronomy 10:8.

Here 'blessing in the name of Jehovah' is doing so not by means of the name but by means of those qualities associated with the name of Jehovah which have been referred to above. In Jeremiah,

This is His name which they will call Him, Jehovah our righteousness. Jeremiah 23:6.

Here 'name' stands for the righteousness which is the essential nature of the Lord, to whom these words refer. In Isaiah,

Jehovah called Me from the womb, from My mother's body 2 He made mention of My name. Isaiah 49:1.

These words too refer to the Lord. 'Making mention of His name' is informing about His essential nature.

[8] That 'name' means the nature of is plainer still in John's Revelation,

You have a few names in Sardis, who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who conquers will be clad in white garments and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; and I will confess his name before My father and before the angels. He who conquers I will write on him the name of God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. Revelation 3:4-5, 12.

Here it is quite clear that name does not mean the name but the essential nature of him who conquers. 'The name in the book of life' is nothing else. Nor is 'confessing his name before My Father', and 'writing on him the name of God and of the city, and a new name'. The same applies elsewhere to the names which are said to have been written in the book of life and in heaven, Revelation 13:8; 17:8; Luke 10:20.

[9] In heaven one person is always recognized from another by his nature or character, which is expressed in the sense of the letter as 'the name', as may also become clear to anyone from the fact that on earth the mention of anybody's name presents to another a mental picture of his nature or character by which he is known and distinguished from anyone else. In the next life those mental pictures survive but names perish. More especially is this so with angels. This is why in the internal sense 'name' means the essential nature of, or the knowledge of that nature. In the same book,

On the head of Him who sat on the white horse were many jewels. He has a name written which no one knows but He Himself. He was clad in a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. Revelation 19:12-13.

Here it is stated openly that His 'name' is The Word of God, thus the essential nature of Him who sat on the white horse.

[10] The fact that the name of Jehovah means the knowledge of His nature, that is to say, it means every good of love and every truth of faith, is quite clear from these words spoken by the Lord,

Righteous Father, I have known You, and these too have known that You have sent Me, for I made known to them Your name, and I will make it known that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them. John 17:25-26.

[11] And that the name of God or of the Lord means the whole doctrine of faith concerning love and charity, which is meant by 'believing in His name', is clear from these words in the same gospel,

As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His name. John 1:12.

If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:13-15.

Whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give it to you. These things I command you, that you love one another. John 15:16-17.

In Matthew,

Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20.

Here 'being gathered together in the Lord's name' means those who possess the doctrine of faith concerning love and charity, and so who are governed by love and charity.

[12] In the same gospel,

You will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. Matthew 10:22; 24:9-10; Mark 13:13.

Here 'for My name's sake' clearly stands for doctrine's sake. The fact that a name itself is of no avail, only that which the name embodies, that is to say, everything constituting charity and faith, is quite clear from the following in Matthew,

Did we not prophesy through Your name, and cast out demons through Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name? And then I will confess to them, I do not know you; depart from Me, you workers of iniquity. Matthew 7:22-23.

From this it is clear that people who make worship consist in a name, as Jews do in the name of Jehovah and Christians in the name of the Lord, are not on that account worthier than any others, for the name is of no avail. But they are worthier when their characters conform to what He has commanded; and this is the meaning of 'believing in His name'. And when they say that there is salvation in no other name than the Lord's they mean in no other doctrine, that is, in none other than mutual love, which is the true doctrine of faith, and so in none other than the Lord since all love comes from Him alone, and all faith from that love.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, faces

2. literally, viscera

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.