THE EXPLANATION of ISAIAH 50

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation.)

1. THUS says Jehovah, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or who is he among My creditors to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have you been sold; and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

VERSE 1. That the church is called a "mother", appears from the following passages:

"Jehovah said, Contend with your mother; she is not My wife , and I am not her Husband", etc. (Hosea 2:2, 5)

Again :

"You art your mother's daughter, that loaths her Husband." (Ezekiel 16:40)

Again,

"Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away?" etc. (Isaiah 50:1)

Again,

"Your mother was as a vine planted near waters, bearing fruit"; [Ezekiel 19:10) speaking of the Jewish church.

Again,

"Jesus stretching out His hand to the disciples, said, My mother and My brethren are they who hear the Word of God, and do it"; (Matthew 12:48, 49; Mark 3:33-35; Luke 8:21) by the Lord's "disciples" is meant the church. Again: There was standing by the cross of Jesus His mother; and Jesus seeing the mother and the disciple standing by whom He loved, says to His mother, Woman, behold your son! and He says to the disciple, Behold your mother! Wherefore from that hour the disciple took her into his own." (John 19:25-27)

By these words is implied that the Lord did not acknowledge Mary as a mother, but the church, wherefore He calls her "woman", and the "mother" of the disciple. The reason why the Lord called her the "mother." of this disciple, or of John, was, because "John" represented the church as to the Goods of charity, which Goods are the church in real effect; therefore it is said that "he took her into his own." That "Peter" represented Truth and Faith, "James" Charity, and "John" the works of Charity, may be seen in the Apocalypse Revealed 5, 6, 790, 798, 879; and that the "twelve disciples" together represented the church as to all its [principles], may be seen, Apocalypse Revealed 233, 790, 903, 915. Conjugial Love 119.

That the Jewish nation had not any conjugial principle, whether understood in a spiritual or in a natural sense, is very manifest from this consideration, that they were permitted to marry several wives; for where there is a conjugial principle, understood in a spiritual sense, that is, where the Good and the Truth of the church are, consequently where the church is, this is in no wise permitted; for a genuine conjugial principle is in no case given except with those with whom the church or kingdom of the Lord is, and with these only between two, Arcana Coelestia 1907, 2740.

Marriage between two who are in genuine conjugial love, corresponds to the heavenly marriage, that is, to the conjunction of Good and Truth, the "husband" corresponding to Good, and the "wife" to the Truth of that Good; also, when they are in genuine conjugial love, they are in that marriage. Therefore, where the church is, there it is never permitted to marry more wives than one; but whereas there was no church amongst the posterity of Jacob, but only the representative or type of a church, or the external of the church without its internal, Arcana Coelestia 4307, 4500, therefore with that posterity it was permitted.

And, moreover, the marriage of one husband with several wives would present in heaven the idea, or image, as if one Good might be conjoined with several Truths which are not in accord. with each other, and thus that Good was none; for Good becomes none in consequence of Truths not agreeing together, since Good derives its quality from Truths, and their agreement with each other. It would also present an image as if the church was not one, but several, and, these distinct among themselves, according to the Truths of faith, or according to doctrinals, when yet it is one where Good is its essential, and this essential is qualified, and, as it were, modified by Truths.

The church is an image of heaven, for it is the Lord's kingdom on earth; heaven is distinguished into many general societies, and into lesser ones subordinate to the general ones, but still they are one by virtue of Good, the Truths of faith being there according to Good congruously; for they regard Good, and are derived from it. If heaven was distinct according to the Truths of faith, and not according to Good, there would be no heaven, since there would be nothing of unanimity, for one principle of life, or one soul, could not be in its inhabitants from the Lord; this is only given in the principle of Good" that is, in love to the Lord; and in love towards the neighbour; for love conjoins all, and when the love of what is Good and True is in each, then there is a common principle which is from the Lord, thus the Lord, who conjoins all. The love of what is Good and True is what is called "love towards the neiqhbour", for the "neighbour" is one who is principled in Good and the Truth thence derived, and; in the abstract sense, Good itself and its Truth. From these considerations it may be manifest why marriage within the church must be between one husband and one wife; and why it was permitted to the posterity of Jacob to marry several wives; and that the reason of this was, because there was no church among them, and consequently the representative of a church could not be instituted by marriaqes, because they were in principles contrary to conjugial love. Arcana Coelestia 4837.

The bill of divorcement. - "But the Jews said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away; and Jesus answering, said unto them, For the hardness of your heart, he wrote you this precept." (Matthew 19:7, 8)

It appears from this passage, and especially from the divine command to Moses, to "hew him out two tables like unto the former", (Exodus 34:1) that the external of the Word, of the church, and of worship, was accommodated to the Jewish nation, and would therefore have been different if that nation had been of a different quality. For the sake of that nation, therefore, it was permitted to marry several wives, which was a thing altogether unknown in ancient times; and also to put away their wives for various causes; hence laws were enacted concerning such marriages and divorces which otherwise would not have entered the external of the Word. Therefore this external is called by the Lord [the external] of Moses, and is said to be granted on account of "the hardness of their heart." Arcana Coelestia 10603 Arcana Coelestia 10603[1-6].

Behold, for your iniquities have you been sold; and for your transgressions is your mother put away. - "Mother" is the church; to "sell" is to alienate. That to "sell", in the internal sense, is [when mentioned in a bad sense] to alienate those things which are of faith and charity, consequently those things which make the man of the internal church, is evident from this circumstance, that in the spiritual world there is no buying and selling such as there is upon earth; but it is the appropriation of what is Good and True which is understood by "buying", and the alienation [or removal] of them by "selling."

By "selling" is also signified the communication of the knowledges of what is Good and True, because by " merchandising" is signified the procuring and the communication of those knowledges, but then it is said, "selling, but not by silver." Arcana Coelestia 5886. See also Apocalypse Explained 840.

As to "merchandising", when mentioned in the Word, see above Chapter 23:18, the Exposition.

Your iniquities; - your transgressions. - In the Word evils are sometimes called "sins", sometimes "iniquities", and sometimes "transgressions"; but what is understood in particular by the one and by the other is only evident from the internal sense. "Transgressions" are evils against the Truths of faith; "iniquities", against the Goods of faith; and "sins" are evils against the Goods of charity and love; - the two former proceed from a perverse understanding, but the latter from a depraved will. The "mother" is the church, which is said to be "put away" when she recedes from faith. Arcana Coelestia 9156.

2. Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? and when I called, none answered? Is My hand so greatly shortened, that it cannot redeem? and is there no power in Me to deliver? Behold, at My rebuke I dry up the sea; I make the rivers a desert; so that their fish putrefy, because there is no water; and they die for thirst.

Verse 2. See above, Chapter 41:28, the Exposition.

None answered. - That "not to answer" signifies not to receive and not to reciprocate, Arcana Coelestia 2941. See also the Exposition of Isaiah 36:21.

Behold, at My rebuke I dry up the sea, etc. - To "dry up the sea" signifies a plenary defect of the common [or general] knowledges of Truth; to "make the rivers a desert", signifies the deprivation of all Truth, and thence of intelligence; "their fish will putrefy", denotes that the scientifics of the natural man shall be without any spiritual life, which is when they are applied to confirm falsities against the Truths of the church; "because there is no water", signifies because there is not any Truth; and to "die of thirst", means the extinction of Truth. That "rivers" signify such things as appertain to intelligence, may be seen in Chapter 30:25, 26; 33:20, 21; 41:17, 18, the Exposition; that "desert" signifies where there is no Good, because there is no Truth, see Chapter 35:4-6; 43:19, 20, the Exposition; that "fish" signifies the scientific [principle] which is of the natural man, see Chapter 19:8, the Exposition; that "water" denotes Truth, has been frequently shown above. To "die of thirst" signifies the deprivation of spiritual life from defect of Truth. Apocalypse Explained 270.

By "rebuke" is signified the desolation of all Truth; by the "sea" is denoted where Truth is in its ultimates; by "water" is meant Truth from a spiritual origin; by "dying of thirst" is signified desolation for the want of that Truth; by the "fishes of the sea becoming putrid" are understood those who are in the ultimates of Truth in whom there is not any life from a spiritual origin. Apocalypse Explained 342.

By the "rebuke of Jehovah" is understood the destruction of the church, which is when there is not any knowledge of Truth and of Good, or when there is not any living knowledge, because no perception; by "drying up the sea" is signified to deprive the natural man of true scientifics, and hence of natural life derived from spiritual; by "making the rivers a desert" is meant to deprive the rational man in like manner, whence he has no longer any intelligence; by "their fish putrifying because there is no water, and they die for thirst", signifies that there IS no longer any living scientific, because there is no Truth. "Fish" is the scientific; "water" is Truth' to "putrefy" is to die as to the spiritual life. Apocalypse Explained 513.

3. I clothe the heavens with blackness; and sackcloth I make their covering.

Verse 3. "Blackness" is the false of evil. Infernals who are in falsities from evil appear black in the light of heaven. Apocalypse Explained 412.

[The heavens in the spiritual world, as seen by those who are in the falsities of evil, appear black, or as covered with blackness.]

Sackcloth I make their covering. - In respect to "sackcloth" and its signification, see Chapter 15:3, the Exposition.

4. The Lord Jehovih has given me the tongue of the learned, that I might know how to speak in season a word to the weary: He wakens, morning by morning, He wakens mine ear, to hearken as the learned.

5. The Lord Jehovih has opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious; neither did I turn away backward.

6. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: my face I hid not from calumnies and spitting.

7. For the Lord Jehovih will help me; therefore I am not ashamed: therefore have I set my face as a flint; and I know that I shall not be confounded.

8. He that justifies me is near: who will contend with me? let us stand up together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

9. Behold, the Lord Jehovih will help me: who is he that shall condemn me? Lo! all of them shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall devour them,

Verse 4. [The tongue of the learned signifies those who are instructed in divine Truths.]

To speak in season a word to the weary. - To be "weary" denotes a state of temptation-combat. Arcana Coelestia 3318. See also 3321.

He wakens, morning by morning, He wakens. mine ear etc. - Inasmuch as "morning" signifies the Lord, His coming, likewise His kingdom and church, as also the Good of love which is from Him hence it may appear what is understood by "morning" in the above passage. Apocalypse Explained 179.

Verses 4, 5, 7, 9. The Lord Jehovih. - The Lord is called "Lord [Adonai] Jehovih" especially, when the help of His Omnipotence is sought for, and supplicated. Arcana Coelestia 2921. See also Arcana Coelestia 1793; and above, Chapter 3:15, note and Exposition.

10. Who is there among you that fears Jehovah, that hearkens unto the voice of His Servant; that walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of Jehovah, and stay himself upon his God.

Verse 10. To "fear Jehovah" is to worship Him from love; to "hearken unto the voice of His Servant" is to worship Him from faith; - when one is of the other then there is the celestial marriage. (Arcana Coelestia 2826 Arcana Coelestia 2826[1-14])

His "Servant" is the Divine Human. See above, Chapter 42:19, the Exposition.

As to the "fear of Jehovah", and as to "fear" as an element of worship, see Chapter 11:3, the Exposition.

Who is there among you that fears Jehovah, - that walks in darkness, and has no light! etc. - From this passage it may appear that by walking, in a spiritual sense, is signified to live, and because it signifies to live, therefore, when predicated of the Lord, Life itself is understood; for the Lord is Life itself, and all others are recipients of life from Him, as may be seen above, Apocalypse Explained 82, 84. Apocalypse Explained 97.

11. Behold, all you who kindle a fire; who encompass yourselves with sparks: walk you in the light of your fire, and in the sparks which you have kindled. This you shall have at My hand; you shall lie down in sorrow.

Verse 11. All you who kindle a fire, etc. - In respect to "fire" in a bad sense, as signifying the evil of lusts and cupidities arising from the love of self and of the world, see Chapter 9:17-19, 33:11, 12, 14, the Exposition.

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Isaiah Chapter 50.

1. THUS says Jehovah, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or who is he among My creditors to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have you been sold; and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

2. Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? and when I called, none answered? Is My hand so greatly shortened, that it cannot redeem? and is there no power in Me to deliver? Behold, at My rebuke I dry up the sea; I make the rivers a desert; so that their fish putrefy, because there is no water; and they die for thirst.

3. I clothe the heavens with blackness; and sackcloth I make their covering.

4. The Lord Jehovih has given me the tongue of the learned, that I might know how to speak in season a word to the weary: He wakens, morning by morning, He wakens mine ear, to hearken as the learned.

5. The Lord Jehovih has opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious; neither did I turn away backward.

6. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: my face I hid not from calumnies and spitting.

7. For the Lord Jehovih will help me; therefore I am not ashamed: therefore have I set my face as a flint; and I know that I shall not be confounded.

8. He that justifies me is near: who will contend with me? let us stand up together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

9. Behold, the Lord Jehovih will help me: who is he that shall condemn me? Lo! all of them shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall devour them,

10. Who is there among you that fears Jehovah, that hearkens unto the voice of His Servant; that walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of Jehovah, and stay himself upon his God.

11. Behold, all you who kindle a fire; who encompass yourselves with sparks: walk you in the light of your fire, and in the sparks which you have kindled. This you shall have at My hand; you shall lie down in sorrow.

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.

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