2807. Abraham said, God will see for Himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son. That this signifies the reply that the Divine Human will provide those who are to be sanctified, is evident from the signification of “seeing for Himself,” when predicated of God, as being to foresee and provide; for “seeing,” in the proximate internal sense, is to understand (n. 2150, 2325); in a still more internal sense it is having faith (n. 897, 2325); but in the supreme sense it is foreseeing and providing; and also from the signification of the “lamb for a burnt-offering,” as being those from the human race who are to be sanctified (see just above, n. 2805). That the spiritual are here meant by the “lamb for a burnt-offering,” is manifest from what follows. The beasts for the burnt-offering and sacrifice signified various things: a lamb one thing, a sheep another, a kid and a she-goat another, a ram and a he-goat another; so also an ox, a bullock, and a calf, and the young of doves, and turtledoves. That each signified a different thing is plainly evident from its being expressly defined which kind should be sacrificed on the several days, and at each festival; as at expiations, cleansings, inaugurations, and at other times. These kinds would by no means have been so expressly pointed out, unless each one had a special signification.

[2] It is manifest that all the rites or external kinds of worship that existed in the Ancient Church, and afterwards in the Jewish, represented the Lord, and especially the burnt-offerings and sacrifices, because among the Hebrew nation these were the principal things of worship. And because they represented the Lord, they at the same time also represented those things which are the Lord’s with men, namely, the celestial things of love and the spiritual things of faith, consequently the men themselves who are celestial or spiritual, or who ought to be. Hence it is that by the “lamb” here are signified the spiritual, that is, they who are of the Lord’s spiritual church. That by “God will see for Himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son,” is signified that the Divine Human will provide, is evident from the fact that it is not here said that “Jehovah” will see, but that “God” will see. When both are named, as in this chapter, by “Jehovah” is then meant the same as by the “Father,” and by “God” the same as by the “Son,” and thus here the Divine Human; and this because the spiritual man is treated of, who has salvation from the Divine Human, as may be seen above (n. 2661, 2716).

2661. On account of his son. That this signifies on this account, that He loved it, namely, the first rational, is evident from the signification of the “son,” namely, that of the handmaid, as being the merely human or first rational, described before. Although the cause of this grief is not told, it is evident from what follows. That the cause is the love is plain enough, for it is said “on account of his son;” and the same son is treated of in what follows, from verse 13 to 21 verse 21. Nevertheless in order that it may be known why there was this grief, or on what account it is said that the word was very evil in Abraham’s eyes on account of his son; take these few things by way of illustration.

[2] The Lord did not come into the world to save the celestial, but the spiritual. The Most Ancient Church, called “Man,” was celestial; and if this church had remained in its integrity, the Lord would have had no need to be born a man. But as soon as this church began to decline, the Lord foresaw that the celestial church would wholly perish from the world; and on that account the prediction was then made concerning the Lord’s coming into the world (Genesis 3:15). After the time of that church there was no longer a celestial church, but a spiritual church; for the Ancient Church which was after the flood (spoken of many times in Part First) was a spiritual church; and this church, that is, those who were of the spiritual church, could not have been saved unless the Lord had come into the world. This is meant by the Lord’s words in Matthew:

They that are well have no need of a physician, but they that are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:12-13).

Also by these words in John:

And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd (John 10:16).

Also by the parable of the hundred sheep, in Matthew 18:11-13.

[3] Now as by Isaac is represented the Lord’s Divine rational, and as by him are also signified the celestial who are called “heirs;” and as by Ishmael is represented the Lord’s merely human rational, and as by him are also signified the spiritual who are called “sons” (as is manifest from (2658) what was said above, n. 2658), this was the reason why the Lord felt grief from Divine love, as shown in the words of this verse; and also in those which follow from verse 13 to verse 21, where by Hagar’s son and the mother of that son is represented the spiritual church; and the state of this church, that is, the state of those who were of this church, is treated of (n. 2612). These arcana cannot as yet be set forth more fully; it may simply be said that with the Lord when in the world all the states of the church were represented, and also in what manner those who belonged to the church were to be saved by Him; and for this reason the same states of the church are likewise signified by these same names.