(Les références suivantes sont chronologiques, car Abram / Abraham vieillit et sont dans l'ordre biblique). Mais ce qui nous intéresse ici, c'est la représentation profonde d'Abraham, car il prophétise ou préfigure la partie la plus profonde de la vie de Jésus après sa naissance à Marie, des siècles après l'homme qu'Abraham a vécu sur la terre. Abraham représente le bien ou l'amour divin. Le sens interne de la Parole nous dit que Dieu lui-même a fourni la vie dans un ovule en Marie, afin qu'elle puisse fournir un corps naturel et une hérédité naturelle de la religion juive, tandis que l'âme de Jésus était conservée comme un possesseur direct de la vie divine. Au cours de sa première vie, probablement jusqu'à l'adolescence, Jésus a vécu ces actions représentatives d'Abraham au plus profond de son esprit et de sa pensée. Abraham, alors qu'il faisait paître ses moutons et dirigeait sa grande famille, n'avait aucune idée que cela était vrai, et au début de la vie de Jésus, il ne le réalisait pas non plus. Il a dû y avoir des perceptions pendant que Jésus grandissait, comme en témoigne sa visite au temple à l'âge de 12 ans, mais pas une compréhension complète avant qu'il n'ait atteint sa pleine maturité. Et en outre, il n'y a pas qu'Abraham. Quand Abraham meurt, la représentation s'attache à Isaac, qui représente le niveau rationnel de l'esprit, puis à Jacob et à Ésaü qui représentent l'esprit naturel quant à la vérité et au bien dans l'esprit respectivement. Et alors les épreuves des douze tribus, des rois et toutes les paroles des prophètes deviennent cette même représentation. Ainsi, Jésus pouvait dire aux deux disciples qu'il rencontra sur la route d'Emmaüs : "O fous et lents de coeur... et à partir de Moïse et de tous les prophètes, il leur exposa dans toutes les écritures toutes les choses qui le concernaient". De plus, le progrès de la vie mentale et spirituelle en chacun de nous est une image sombre et finie de celle représentée par la vie d'Abraham si, c'est-à-dire, nous essayons de suivre les lois et les préceptes du Seigneur pour nous aimer les uns les autres. Nous avons aussi en nous un voyage au pays de Canaan, un séjour laborieux en Égypte, une lutte dans le désert, et un Saul, un David et un Achab. Nous avons chez nous des Amalécites et des Philistins. L'ensemble de l'Ancien Testament est une image de la façon dont notre vie spirituelle fonctionne. Abraham (ou Abram, comme il est nommé au début de son histoire) est l'un des personnages principaux de l'histoire des écritures sacrées. Il est l'ancêtre de tous les enfants d'Israël, par son fils Isaac, et des Arabes, par son fils Ismaël. Sa vie peut être utilement considérée comme étant divisée en trois périodes. La première période comprend les premières années inconnues depuis sa naissance à Ur, et son déménagement ultérieur à Haran avec son père Térah. La seconde commence avec l'appel d'Abram par Jéhovah pour aller à Canaan. Elle inclut les aventures qu'il y a vécues et se poursuit jusqu'aux événements du 17ème chapitre de la Genèse où il est dit qu'il a 99 ans, riche et puissant - mais sans fils par sa femme Saraï. Une fois de plus, le Seigneur lui apparaît, promet que sa progéniture deviendra une grande nation, institue le rite de la circoncision, et change son nom en Abraham, en ajoutant le son "ah" de Jéhovah. La troisième et dernière période de sa vie voit la naissance d'Isaac, la mort de Sarah (dont le nom a également été changé), et la recherche d'une femme pour Isaac parmi les parents d'Abraham en Mésopotamie. On dit qu'Abraham avait 175 ans lorsqu'il est mort, comme l'indique le 25e chapitre de la Genèse.

(Odkazy: Arcanes Célestes 1416 [2], Arcanes Célestes 1426, Arcanes Célestes 2533, Genèse 12:4, 17, 17:5, 20:7, 25)

1259. There is something further to be said about 'nations' meaning goods and evils within worship: In most ancient times people dwelt distinguished into separate nations, families, and houses, as stated already, in order that the Church on earth might represent the Lord's kingdom where all people are distinguished into communities, those communities into larger ones, and these into still larger, all these distinctions existing according to general and specific differences of love and faith, about which see 684, 685. Thus the Lord's kingdom is similarly distinguished so to speak into houses, families, and nations. This is why 'houses, families, and nations' in the Word means the goods that stem from love and its derivative faith, where also a careful distinction is made between nations and people. 'Nation' means good or evil, but 'people' truth or falsity. And this distinction is preserved so consistently as never to vary, as becomes clear from the following places:

[2] In Isaiah,

There will be on that day the root of Jesse which is standing as an ensign of the peoples; towards that root the nations will seek to go, and his rest will be glory. On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to acquire the remnants of His people, who remain from Asshur, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And He will raise an ensign for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah. Isaiah 11:10-12.

Here 'peoples' stands for the truths of the Church, 'nations' for its goods, between which a clear distinction is made. The subject here is the Lord's kingdom and the Church, and in the universal sense every regenerate person. The names mentioned mean the things that have been described already. 'Israel' means the spiritual things of the Church, 'Judah' its celestial things. In the same prophet,

This people walking in darkness have seen a great light. You have multiplied the nation, You have increased its joy. Isaiah 9:2-3.

Here 'people' stands for truths, hence the reference to 'their walking in darkness and seeing a [great] light'. 'Nation' stands for goods.

[3] In the same prophet,

What will one answer the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah has founded Zion, and in her the wretched members of His people will put their trust. Isaiah 14:32.

Here likewise 'nation' stands for good, 'people' for truth. In the same prophet,

Jehovah Zebaoth will swallow up on this mountain the face ¹ of the covering, of the covering over all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations. Isaiah 25:7.

This refers to a new Church, that is, the Church of the nations. 'People' stands for its truths, 'nations' for its goods. In the same prophet,

Open the gates that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. Isaiah 26:2.

Here 'nation' plainly stands for goods. In the same prophet,

All the nations will be gathered together, and the peoples will be assembled. Isaiah 43:9

This too refers to the Church of the nations. 'Nations' stands for its goods, and 'peoples' for its truths. And since the two are distinct and separate from each other, both are dealt with; otherwise it would be a pointless repetition. In the same prophet,

The Lord Jehovih said, Behold, 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 carry your daughters on their shoulder. Isaiah 49:22.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom, 'nations' again standing for goods, and 'peoples' for truths.

[4] In the same prophet,

You will break out to the right and to the left, and your seed will inherit the nations, and they will dwell in the desolate cities. Isaiah 54:3.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom and to the Church called the Church of the nations. That 'the nations' stands for goods that stem from charity, or what amounts to the same, for people with whom the goods of charity exist, is clear from the promise that their 'seed', or faith, 'will inherit them'. 'Cities' stands for truths. In the same prophet,

Lo, I have given Him as a witness to the peoples, a Prince and Lawgiver to the peoples Lo, you will call a nation you do not know, and a nation that knew you not will run to you. Isaiah 55:4-5.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom. 'Peoples' stands for truths, 'nations' for goods. In the Church those who are endowed with goods that stem from charity are 'nations' while those who are endowed with truths of faith are 'peoples'. For goods and truths are attributes of the subjects to which they apply. In the same prophet,

Nations will walk to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Then you will see and overflow, and your heart will be astounded and enlarged, because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, the armies of the nations will come to you. Isaiah 60:3, 5.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom and the Church of the nations. 'Nations' stands for goods, while 'kings', who go together with 'peoples', stands for truths.

[5] In Zephaniah,

The remnants of My people will plunder them, and the residue of My nation will inherit them. Zephaniah 2:9.

In Zechariah,

Many peoples and numerous nations will come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem. Zechariah 8:22.

'Jerusalem' stands for the Lord's kingdom and for the Church, 'peoples' those with whom the truths of faith predominate, 'nations' for those with whom the goods of charity do so, and therefore they are mentioned separately. In David,

You will deliver me from the strivings of the people; You will set me as the head of nations. A people whom I have not known will serve me. Psalms 18:43.

Here similarly 'people' stands for those with whom truths predominate, 'nations' for those with whom good does so. And because these are what constitute the member of the Church, both are mentioned. In the same author,

The peoples will confess You, O God, all the peoples will confess You; the nations will be glad and exultant, for You will judge the peoples with uprightness, and You will guide the nations into the land. Psalms 67:3-4.

'Peoples' clearly stands for those with whom truths of faith predominate, and 'nations' for those with whom the good of charity predominates.

[6] In Moses,

Remember the days of old, understand the years of generation after generation; ask your father and he will show you, and your elders and they will tell you, When the Most High gave to the nations an inheritance and separated the sons of man, He fixed the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. Deuteronomy 32:7-8.

This refers to the Most Ancient Church and the Ancient Churches, which are respectively 'the days of old' and 'the years of generation after generation'. Those with whom the good of charity predominated were called 'the nations' to whom an inheritance was given. 'The sons of man' and in the next sentence 'the peoples' mean those with whom the truths of faith deriving from charity predominated. Since 'the nations' means the goods of the Church and 'the peoples' its truths, it was therefore said of Esau and Jacob when they were still in the womb,

Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will be separated from your bowels. Genesis 25:23.

These places now make clear what the Church of the nations is in the genuine sense. The Most Ancient Church was the true Church of the nations, as was the Ancient Church after that.

[7] Since those governed by charity are called 'nations' and those governed by faith are called 'peoples', the Lord's priesthood is therefore associated with 'nations' because it has reference to celestial things, which are goods, while His kingship is associated with 'peoples' because it has reference to spiritual things, which are truths This distinction was also represented in the Jewish Church in which they were 'a nation' before they had kings, but became 'a people' after they received them.

Poznámky pod čarou: