THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 63

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

1. WHO is this that cometh from Edom, with sprinkled garments from Bozrah? this, that is magnificent in His apparel; marching on in the greatness of His strength? I, who speak in justice, mighty to save.

2. Wherefore art You red in Thine apparel, and Your garments as of him that treads the wine-vat?

VERSES 1-3. These things are said concerning the Lord, and His combats against all the hells; and whereas He fought against them from the human, in which was the Essential Divine it is therefore said - "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with sprinkled garments from Bozrah?" whereby is signified combating from the Good of Love and from Truth, which are from the Divine; for "Edom" denotes what is red, and "Bozrah" the vintaging, and red" is predicated of Good, and "vintaging" of Truth; and whereas those things are meant by "Edom" and by "Bozrah", therefore in what follows He is called "red as he that treads the wine-vat"; and, whereas the Divine Good and the Divine Truth, which is here understood, is the Word in the letter, and this is slgnified by the "garments" of the Lord, therefore it is said, - , "Who has sprinkled His garments"; likewise, "Who is magnificent in His apparel"; and whereas all strength is contained in the Word, in the letter, therefore it is said, "walking [or marching on] in the greatness of His strength".

Judgment from His Divine upon the good find upon the evil, salvation in consequence thereof, is understood by "I who speak in justice, mighty [or great] to save". The violence offered to the Word by the Jewish nation, is signified by "Wherefore art You red in Thine apparel, and Your garments as of him that treads the wine-vat!" - "red as to the apparel" being predicated of the violence offered to the Divine Good of the Word, which was understood above by "Edom", and "the garments as of him that treads in the wine-vat" being predicated of the violence offered to the Divine Truth therein, which was understood above by "Bozrah".

The "garments", of the Lord, signify the Word in the letter, to which violence was offered by the adulterations and falsifications thereof. The prostration of the hells, and of the falsities thence derived, by virtue of His own proper power, is signified by "I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the peoples there was not a man with Me"; the casting of them down into the hells, who were in direful evils, and falsities thence derived, is signified by "I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled! them in My wrath"; "anger" being predicated of evils, and "wrath" of falsities; and they are attributed to the Lord, although it is they who are in evils and falsities thence derived, and that are angry and wrathful against the Lord; and whereas the judgment whereby the hells were subjugated was accomplished by the Lord, by temptations admitted into His Human, even to the last, which was the passion of the cross, therefore it is said, "Their victory was sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel"; for the Lord, by all things of His passion, and by the last upon the cross, represented the violence offered by the Jewish nation to the Word, or to Divine Truth; concerning which, see above, Apocalypse Explained 183, 195, at the end; 627, at the end; 655, 805. Apocalypse Explained 922.

Verses 1, 2, 3, 5. Who is this that cometh from Edom! etc.

- That "Edom" is the Lord as to the Divine Good of the Divine-Natural is evident, for the subject here treated of [in the supreme sense] is the conjunction of Good and Truth in the Humanity of the Lord; and the combats of temptations by which He conjoined them. That the "garments" here mentioned are the Truths of the natural man, or inferior Truths respectively, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2576; and that "red" is the Good of the natural principle, Arcana Coelestia 3300. That the Lord, by His own power, through combats in temptations, conjoined Truths therein to Good, is described by His "treading the wine-press alone", and by "His looking, and there was none to help", etc. "His own arm" signifies His own power. Arcana Coelestia 3322.

The subject here treated of is concerning the Lord, and His combats against the hells, and concerning the subjugation of them. The Lord Himself, as to His Divine Human, is here understood by "Edom, who had sprinkled garments from Bozrah", and by His "garments" is understood the Word in the letter; for "garments" signify Truths investing, and, when predicated of the Lord, they signify Divine Truths, consequently the Word; inasmuch as all Divine Truths are therein, as may be seen, Apocalypse Explained 195.

The Word, in the sense of the letter, is here also understood by "garments", because in the letter are Truths investing; for the sense of the letter serves for a vestment or clothing to the spiritual sense, and inasmuch as the Word, as to that sense, was torn asunder by the Jewish people, and thereby the Divine Truth adulterated, it is therefore said, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with sprinkled garments from Bozrah?", "their victory was sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel"; the "garments of Bozrah" signifying the ultimate of the Word, which is the literal sense thereof; and "their victory upon My garments" denoting the sinister interpretation and application of the Word by those who wrest the sense of the letter to favour their own loves, and the principles thence conceived, as was done by the Jews, and is done by many at this day; this is understood by "their victory upon My garments."

That the Lord alone fought, is signified by "I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the peoples there was not a man with Me"; the "wine-press" denotes combat from Divine Truths against falsities, because in wine-presses the wine is pressed out from the grapes, and by "wine" is signified Divine Truth; hence to "tread alone, and of the peoples there was not a man with Me", signifies that the Lord alone fought, without aid from anyone.

That the Lord subjugated the hells, is understood by "I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled them in My wrath"; "I have trodden" and "I have trampled" being expressions applicable to the wine-press, and signifying that He destroyed them; "anger" and "wrath" are expressions relating to destruction, and are attributed, in the sense of the letter, to the Lord, when notwithstanding there is not anything of anger and of wrath in Him, but in those who are against Him; wherefore, in this and in many other places, these things are said according to appearances. That they were subjugated and condemned to hell, is signified, in verse 6, by "I brought down their victory to the earth"; - "to the earth" denoting into damnation, thus into hell; that by the "earth" is also signified damnation, may be seen, Apocalypse Explained 304, at the end. Apocalypse Explained 359.

3. I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the peoples there was not a man with Me: and I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled them in My wrath; and their victory was, sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel.

Verse 3. By "treading the wine-press" is signified exploration, at the time of Judgment, as to the quality of their works; for by "treading the vine-press" is signified to explore, and by "the clusters which are trodden" are understood works, as may be seen above, Apocalypse Explained 649.

By "treading the wine-press" is not only signified, in an opposite sense, to explore evil works, but also to sustain them with others, and likewise to remove them, and to cast them into hell, as may be seen from Isaiah:

"I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled them in My wrath." (Isaiah 63:3)

Again:

"Jehovah has trodden the wine-press of the virgin of the daughter of Judah"; (Lamentations 1:15) speaking of what takes place at the Judgment. Apocalypse Revealed 652.

4. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redeemed was come.

5. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I was astonished that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm wrought salvation for Me, and Mine indignation, it sustained Me.

6. And I trod down the peoples in Mine anger, and I inebriated them in My wrath; and I brought down their victory to the earth.

Verses 4, 6. By the combats which were temptations admitted into Himself the Lord subjugated the hells, and thus accomplished the Last Judgment. This is the Judgment which is understood by "the day of anger and of wrath of Jehovah", in the Word of the Old Testament; but the Last Judgment which is at this day performed by the Lord, is understood by "the day of His anger" in the Apocalypse. That a Last Judgment was performed by the Lord, when He was in the world, may be seen in the work concerning the Last Judgment 46. "The year of the redeemed", signifies judgment upon the good who are saved. Apocalypse Explained 413. See also True Christian Religion 116.

7. The mercies of Jehovah I will record, and the praises of Jehovah, according to all that Jehovah has rendered unto us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel, which He has rendered to them, according to His compassions, and the multitude of His mercies.

8. For He said, Surely they are My people, sons that will not deceive; so He was their Saviour.

Verses 7-9. The divine Mercy in the Divine Human is here called " the Angel of the faces of Jehovah." That the "face of Jehovah", or of the Lord, is mercy, and also peace and goodness, because these are of Mercy, might be shown from many passages, as from the following: Numbers 6:25, 26; Psalm 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19. That the "face of Jehovah", or of the Lord, is Divine Love, is evident from His face when He was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, when "His face shone like the sun." (Matthew 17:2)

That "those who see the Lord, see the Father", is expressly declared in John 14:8, 9. Arcana Coelestia 5585.

9. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His faces saved them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He took them up, and He bare them, all the days of old.

Verse 9. Treating concerning the Lord, who is called "the Angel of the faces of Jehovah", by virtue of the Divine Truth from His Divine Love; for by an "angel", in the Word, is signified Divine Truth, whence angels are also called "gods", as may be seen, Apocalypse Explained 130, 200, 302; and by the "faces of Jehovah" is understood the Divine Love which is in the Lord, whence it is also said, "In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He took them up, and He bare them, all the days of old [or of eternity]"; these things being of the Divine Love. The Lord, as to His Human, was Divine Truth, from which He combated with the hells, and by which He subjugated them; and, therefore, He is here called an "Angel", which is His Divine Human. Apocalypse Explained 412.

10. But they rebelled, and provoked the Spirit of His holiness: so that He was turned to be their enemy, and He fought against them.

Verses 10, 11. In the Word of the Old Testament there is no mention made of the "Holy Spirit", but only of the "Spirit of Holiness", in three places, - once in David, Psalm 51:11; and twice in Isaiah, Isaiah 63:10, 11; whereas in the Word of the New Testament, both in the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistles, it is mentioned frequently. The reason is, because there was no "Holy Spirit" before the coming of the Lord, inasmuch as it proceeds out of the Lord from the Father; for " the Lord only is Holy"; (Revelation 15:4) wherefore also it is said by the angel Gabriel to the mother Mary "The Holy Thing which shall be born of you." (Luke 1:35) It is written that "the Holy Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified"; (John 7:39) and yet it is said before that "the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth", (Luke 1:41) and "Zechariah", (Luke 1:67) and "Simeon." (Luke 2:25)

The reason of which seeming contradiction is, because these three persons were filled with the Spirit of Jehovah the Father, which was called the "Holy Spirit" on account of the Lord, who was already in the world. This is the reason, too, why in the Word of the Old Testament it is nowhere said that the prophets "spake from the Holy Spirit", but from Jehovah; for, in expressIng themselves on this subject, they constantly use some of these terms:

"Jehovah spoke to me"; "The word of Jehovah came to me", "Jehovah has spoken", "The saying of Jehovah." The reader may convince himself of this fact by reading the Prophets, and observing the very numerous passages in which these declarations occur, which are too numerous to he adduced here, in which it is never said that "the Holy Spirit spoke by them, nor that "Jehovah spoke to them by the Holy Spirit." True Christian Religion 158. See also above, Chapter 1:1, the Exposition. In respect the true Doctrine of "the Holy Spirit its Divine Operation", True Christian Religion 138-158.

11. But He remembered the days of old, Moses and His people, [saying] Where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? where is He that put in the midst of him the Spirit of His holiness?

12. Who led them at the right hand of Moses, with His glorious arm; dividing the waters before them, to make for Himself an everlasting name:

Verse 11. Where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? etc.

In this prophetic declaration by "Moses" is understood the Lord, who is also "the Shepherd of the flock"; by "the people, whom He brought up out of the sea", are signified those who are delivered from damnation. Arcana Coelestia 8099.

Verse 12. Dividing the waters before them, etc. - As to the "sea" or the "waters", out of whioh they were brought", see Chapter 51:10, the Exposition.

13. Who led them through the deeps; as a horse in the desert, they did not stumble:

14. As the cattle goes down into the valley; so the Spirit of Jehovah led him: thus didst You guide Your people, to make for Yourself a name of glory.

Verses 13, 14. The subject of this chapter is concerning the Lord and His combats with the hells, and the subjugation of them; but, in this passage, concerning those who are in love and faith in Him, who are compared to "a horse in the desert", and to "cattle [or a beastJ in the valley"; because by a "horse" is signified the understanding of Truth, and by "cattle" [or a beast] the affection of Good; for, all comparisons in the Word are from correspondences. Apocalypse Explained 355.

15. Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of Your holiness and of Your beauty: where is Your zeal and Your strength? [For] the yearning of Your bowels, and Your compassions, are restrained toward me.

Verse. 15. Zeal here stands for Mercy, which is "the yearning [commotio] of the bowels, and is predicated of Good; for it is said, "Your zeal and Your strength [virtutes]", where "zeal" is predicated of Good and "strength" of Truth; in like manner "the yearning of the bowels" is predicated of Good, and "compassions" of Truth.

"The habitation of holiness" is the heaven where those are who are of the celestial kingdom, and "the habitation of beauty" is the heaven where those are who are of the spiritual kingdom. Hence also it is evident that in the Word where "Good" is mentioned, "Truth" is also named, on account of the heavenly marriage which is in every particular of the Word; thus also the Lord, as to His two names "JESUS" and "CHRIST" which signify the divine marriage which is in the Lord; concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 683, 793, 8339. Arcana Coelestia 8875. See also Arcana Coelestia 3960, 9815.

As to the distinction between "glory" and "beauty", see above Chapter 46:13, the Exposition.

"Bowels", in the Word, signify love or mercy, by reason that the bowels or inward parts, especially the mother's womb, represent and thence signify chaste conjugial love, and love towards infants thence derived, as in Isaiah:

"The yearning [or commotion] of Your bowels, and Your compassions, are restrained toward me"; and in Jeremiah:

"Is not Ephraim My dear son? Is not he a pleasant child? Therefore My bowels are troubled fo. him; I will surely have compassion on him. (Jeremiah 31:20)

Hence it appears that love Itself, or mercy itself and the Lord's compassion towards mankind, are the things which in the internal sense, are signified by "bowels", and by "coming forth", or by "the offspring of the bowels"; (Isaiah 48:19) to "come forth out of the bowels", signifies to be born, and, in a spiritual sense, to be born of the Lord, or regenerated. They who have not the Lord's love, that is, who do not love their neighbour as themselves, have not in any respect the Lord's life, consequently they are in no respect "born" of Him, or "come forth out of His bowels", wherefore they cannot be heirs of His kingdom. Arcana Coelestia 1803.

16. Surely You art our Father, for Abraham knows us not, and Israel doth not acknowledge us: You, O Jehovah! art our Father, our Redeemer; Your name is from eternity.

Verse 16. That the Lord, as to His Divine Human, in whom is the Divine Trinity, is the "Father" see Chapter 9:6, the Exposition; see also Isaiah 22:21-24, the Exposition; and True Christian Religion 83, 113, 188, 294, 299, 637.

For Abraham knows us not. - As to "Abraham", see Chapter 41:8; 51:2, the Exposition.

17. Why, O Jehovah! have You made us to err from Your ways; why have You hardened our heart from the fear of You? Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Thine inheritance.

Verse 17. [That Jehovah is here said to "cause or make the people err from His ways, is spoken according to appearance, In a manner similar to that in which He is said to be "angry", to "punish", to "do evil", to "lead into temptation", etc. See the Exposition of Isaiah Chapter 45:7.]

Why have You hardened our heart from the fear of You? - What is meant by "the fear of the Lord", see Chapter 11:3, the Exposition.

Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your inheritance.

- "Tribes" are often mentioned in the Word, because the people of Israel were divided into twelve tribes; and he who does not know the internal sense of the Word supposes that by "tribes" are understood the tribes of Israel; tribes, however, are not understood by "tribes", nor Israel by "Israel", but by the "tribes" are understood all who are in Truths from Good, and by "Israel" is meant the church of the Lord. He who does not know this may easily seize upon the common belief that the sons of Israel were elected above all others in the universal world, and also that at length they are to be introduced into the land of Canaan, yea, that even heaven itself is to consist chiefly of them; whereas by the names of the "tribes" they are not understood, but those who are in Truths from Good, thus those who are of the church, - by the "twelve tribes" all, and by each "tribe" some particular Truth and Good, which they who belong to the church possess. That this is the case might be proved from many passages in the Word where "tribes" are mentioned, as in Isaiah 63:17. Apocalypse Explained 39.

18. They had, within a little, possessed the people of Your holiness: our enemies have trodden down Your sanctuary.

Verse 18. That "the people of holiness" signify holy Truths, see Chapter 62:12, the Exposition.

Our enemies have trodden down Your sanctuary. - By "enemies" are signified evils of life; by "treading down the sanctuary", is meant to destroy the Truths of doctrine from the Word, and this by the sensual-corporeal principle; for those who are in evils of life are all sensual-corporeal. The reason why "trampling" or "treading down" signifies these things is, because treading down is effected by the soles of the feet, and by the "soles of the feet" are signified the external-sensual things of man, and by the "feet" his natural things. In the spiritual world those who have denied and despised the Truths of heaven and the church, appear to tread them down with the soles of their feet, and this because, as said above, the external-sensual [principle] of man corresponds to the "soles of the feet." It is said that the external-sensual principle of man does this, but only the sensual [principle] with those who are merely sensual, who are those that deny the Truths of heaven and of the church, and also who believe nothing but what they can see with their eyes and touch with their hands. Apocalypse Explained 632. See also above, Chapter 5:5, 10:6, the Exposition.

That the internal of the natural degree is signified by the "feet", the middle by the "soles", and the lowest by the "shoes", see above, Chapter 11:15, 16, the Exposition.

19. We have been as those over whom You have never ruled, and who were not called by Your name.

Verse 19. Who were not called by Your name. - What is signified by being "called by a name", see Chapter 4:1, the Exposition.

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Isaiah Chapter 63

1. WHO is this that cometh from Edom, with sprinkled garments from Bozrah? this, that is magnificent in His apparel; marching on in the greatness of His strength? I, who speak in justice, mighty to save.

2. Wherefore art You red in Thine apparel, and Your garments as of him that treads the wine-vat?

3. I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the peoples there was not a man with Me: and I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled them in My wrath; and their victory was, sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel.

4. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redeemed was come.

5. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I was astonished that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm wrought salvation for Me, and Mine indignation, it sustained Me.

6. And I trod down the peoples in Mine anger, and I inebriated them in My wrath; and I brought down their victory to the earth.

7. The mercies of Jehovah I will record, and the praises of Jehovah, according to all that Jehovah has rendered unto us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel, which He has rendered to them, according to His compassions, and the multitude of His mercies.

8. For He said, Surely they are My people, sons that will not deceive; so He was their Saviour.

9. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His faces saved them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He took them up, and He bare them, all the days of old.

10. But they rebelled, and provoked the Spirit of His holiness: so that He was turned to be their enemy, and He fought against them.

11. But He remembered the days of old, Moses and His people, [saying] Where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? where is He that put in the midst of him the Spirit of His holiness?

12. Who led them at the right hand of Moses, with His glorious arm; dividing the waters before them, to make for Himself an everlasting name:

13. Who led them through the deeps; as a horse in the desert, they did not stumble:

14. As the cattle goes down into the valley; so the Spirit of Jehovah led him: thus didst You guide Your people, to make for Yourself a name of glory.

15. Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of Your holiness and of Your beauty: where is Your zeal and Your strength? [For] the yearning of Your bowels, and Your compassions, are restrained toward me.

16. Surely You art our Father, for Abraham knows us not, and Israel doth not acknowledge us: You, O Jehovah! art our Father, our Redeemer; Your name is from eternity.

17. Why, O Jehovah! have You made us to err from Your ways; why have You hardened our heart from the fear of You? Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Thine inheritance.

18. They had, within a little, possessed the people of Your holiness: our enemies have trodden down Your sanctuary.

19. We have been as those over whom You have never ruled, and who were not called by Your name.

113. The fourth experience. ¹

I looked out into the world of spirits and saw an army mounted on chestnut and black horses. Those who sat upon them looked like monkeys, their faces and chests turned towards the hind quarters and tails of the horses, the backs of their heads and bodies towards the horses' necks and heads; the reins hung loosely about the necks of the riders. They raised a shout against those who rode on white horses, and pulled on the reins with both hands to keep their horses away from the battle, and they kept on doing this.

Then two angels came down from heaven, and on approaching me said: 'What do you see?' I described this ridiculous cavalry and asked: 'What is this, and who are they?'

The angels replied: 'They come from the place called Armageddon (Revelation 16:16), where some thousands have gathered to do battle with the members of the Lord's new church, which is called the New Jerusalem. They were talking there about the church and religion; yet there was not a trace of the church in them, because they were without any spiritual truth, or any trace of religion, because they were without any spiritual good. There was much talk there on their lips about both subjects, but their motive was to exercise power by their means.

[2] 'As young men they had learned to believe in faith alone, and they knew a little about God. After being promoted to the higher offices of the church, they retained their beliefs for a while. But since they then began to think no more about God and heaven, and only about themselves and the world, and so abandoned blessedness and everlasting happiness for temporal distinction and wealth, they pushed the doctrines they had learned in youth out of the interiors of the rational mind, which are in contact with heaven and so illuminated by its light, and banished them to the exteriors of the rational mind, which are in contact with the world and are illuminated only by its faint beams. They ended by relegating those doctrines to the level of the natural senses. This made them treat the doctrines of the church merely as formulas to be repeated, and no longer thought about rationally, much less affectionately loved. By making themselves like this, they do not receive the Divine truth which the church provides, nor any real good which comes from religion. To use a simile, the interiors of their minds have become like leather bags filled with a mixture of iron filings and powdered sulphur; if then water is poured in, there is first heat generated, and then flame, which makes the bags burst. In like manner, when these people hear anything about living water, which is the real truth of the Word, and it penetrates through their ears, they become furiously heated and angry, and reject it as something which would burst their heads.

[3] 'These are the people who appeared to you like monkeys riding back to front on chestnut and black horses with the reins about their necks. This is because those who do not love the truth and good which the church has from the Word, are unwilling to look towards the front of a horse, but only its hinder parts. For 'horse' means the understanding of the Word, 'a chestnut horse' understanding of the Word bereft of good, 'a black horse' understanding of the Word bereft of truth. The reason why they yelled to do battle against the riders on white horses is that 'a white horse' means the understanding of the truth and good of the Word. They seemed to be holding their horses back by the neck because they were frightened of fighting, for fear the truth of the Word might reach many people and so come to light. That is the interpretation.'

[4] The angels went on to say: 'We are from the community in heaven named Michael, and we have been ordered by the Lord to go down to the place called Armageddon, from which the cavalry you saw had broken out. Armageddon for us in heaven means the state of wishing to fight with falsified truths, which arises from the love of controlling and surpassing all others. Since we perceive you have a desire to learn about that battle, we will tell you something about it. After coming down from heaven we approached the place called Armageddon and saw several thousands of people gathered there. However, we did not go into that assembly, but there were some houses on the south side where there were boys with their teachers; we went into these, where we were made welcome, and we enjoyed their company. They were all good-looking because of the liveliness of their eyes and the animation of their conversation. The liveliness in their eyes came from their perception of truth, the animation of their conversation from their affection for good. Because of this we presented them with hats, the brims of which were ornamented with bands of gold thread intertwined with pearls, and also with clothes of a white and dark blue pattern.

'We asked them whether they had looked towards the neighbouring place called Armageddon. They said they had done so through the window they had under the roof of their house. They said they had seen a great gathering of people there, who took on varying appearances. At one time they resembled tall ² men, at another no longer people at all, but they looked like images and carved statues, and around them was a crowd kneeling. These too seemed to us to have varying appearances; some looked like human beings, some like leopards, some like goats, and these had downward-pointing horns, which they used to dig up the ground. We were able to interpret their transformations, and know whom they represented and what they meant.

[5] 'But to return to the story; when the people assembled heard that we had gone into those houses, they said to one another: "What are they doing, going to see those boys? Let us send some of our number to turn them out." They did so, and when they came they said to us: "Why have you gone into those houses? Where do you come from? We have authority to tell you to go away."

'But we replied: "You have no authority to tell us that. In your own eyes you may be like the Anakim, and the people here like dwarfs, but still you have no power or right here, except through trickery, and that will not work. So go back and report to your people, that we have been sent here from heaven to investigate whether there is any religion among you or not; if not, you will be thrown out of the place you occupy. So set before them the following question, which touches the very essence of the church and religion, what is the meaning of these words from the Lord's Prayer: Our Father, who art in the heavens, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come."

'Their first reaction on hearing this was indignation, but then they agreed to put the question. So they went away and told their people what had happened, and they replied: "What does this question mean and what sort of a question is it?" But they understood the concealed point, that the questioners wished to know whether these words favoured the way their faith approaches God the Father. So they said: "These words clearly mean that we should pray to God the Father, and because Christ is our mediator, that we should pray to God the Father for the sake of His Son."

'Then in their indignation they resolved to approach us and to assert this face to face, saying too that they would tweak our ears. They actually left the place where they were, and went into the park adjacent to the houses where the boys were with their teachers. In the middle of the park there was a raised platform like an arena, and holding one another's hands they went into the arena where we stood waiting for them. There were small mounds of earth there covered with turf, and they sat on these, saying to one another: "In such company we will not remain standing, but sit down."

'Then one of them who had the trick of making himself look like an angel of light, and who had been appointed by the rest to act as their spokesman, said: "You have asked us to reveal our opinion on how we should understand the first words of the Lord's Prayer. So I beg to inform you that we understand them like this: we should pray to God the Father; and because Christ is our mediator, and our salvation depends upon His merit, we should pray to God the Father trusting in Christ's merit."

[6] 'Then we told them: "We are from the community in heaven known as Michael. We have been sent to visit you, and enquire whether you who are gathered here have any religion or not. For the idea of God enters into every part of religion, and it is this which establishes a link with God, and that link is the means of salvation. We in heaven recite that prayer every day, just as people on earth do; but then we do not think of God the Father, since He is invisible, but we think of Him in His Divine Human, since in this He is visible. In this you call Him Christ, we call Him the Lord; thus the Lord is our Father in the heavens. The Lord too taught that He and the Father are one, that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father; that he who sees Him, sees the Father; and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. He also taught that it is the Father's will that people should believe in the Son; that he who does not believe in the Son will not see life; rather the wrath of God remains upon him. From these passages it is clear that the Father is to be approached through the Son and in Him. For that reason too He also taught that all power in heaven and on earth was given to Him. The Prayer says, "Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come," and we have proved from the Word that the Father's name is His Divine Human, and that the Father's kingdom comes when the Lord is directly approached, and not at all when God the Father is directly approached. So too the Lord told His disciples to preach the kingdom of God, and this is what is meant by the kingdom of God."

[7] 'On hearing this our opponents said: "You quote many passages from the Word. We may have read such things there, but we do not remember them. So open the Word in our presence, and read us those passages from it, especially the ones which say that the Father's kingdom comes when the Lord's kingdom does." Then they told the boys to fetch the Word, and when they did so, we read to them from it the following passages:

John ³ preaching the Gospel of the kingdom said, The time has come, the kingdom of God is at hand, Mark 1:14-15; Matthew 3:2.

Jesus Himself preached the Gospel of the kingdom, and said that the kingdom of God was at hand, Matthew 4:17, 23; 9:35.

Jesus ordered His disciples to preach and proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God (Mark 16:15; Luke 8:1; 9:60); likewise the seventy whom He sent out (Luke 10:9, 11)

And many passages besides, such as Matthew 11:5; 16:27-28; Mark 8:35; 9:1, 47; 10:29-30; 11:10; Luke 1:19; 2:10-11; 4:43; 7:22; 17:20-21; ⁴ Luke 21:31; 22:18. The kingdom of God, the good news of which they were to proclaim, was the Lord's kingdom, and so the Father's kingdom. This is plain from the following passages: The Father gave all things into the Son's hand (John 3:35); The Father gave the Son power over all flesh (John 17:2).

All things are handed over to me by the Father, Matthew 11:27.

All power has been given to me in heaven and on earth, Matthew 28:18.

Further from the following:

Jehovah Zebaoth is His name and the Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, He shall be called the God of the whole earth, Isaiah 54:5.

I saw and behold, one like the Son of Man, to whom was given dominion, glory and the kingdom; and all peoples and nations shall worship Him. His dominion is a dominion for ever, which will not pass away, and His kingdom one which will not perish, Daniel 7:13-14.

When the seventh angel sounded, mighty voices were heard in the heavens saying, The kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever, Revelation 11:15; 12:10.

[8] 'In addition we instructed them from the Word that the Lord came into the world not only to redeem angels and men, but also so that they might be united with God the Father through Him and in Him. For He taught that He is in those who believe in Him and they are in Him (John 6:56; 14:20; 15:4-5). On hearing this they asked: "How then can your Lord be called Father"? We said: "It follows from the passages we have read, and also from these:

A child is born for us, a son is given to us, whose name is God, Hero, the everlasting Father, Isaiah 9:6.

You are our Father, Abraham does not recognise us, neither does Israel acknowledge us; You, Jehovah, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name, Isaiah 63:16.

Did He not say to Philip, when he wanted to see the Father.

Philip, do you not know me? He who sees me sees the Father, John 14:9; 12:45.

What other Father then is there, than the one whom Philip saw with his own eyes?"

'To this we added the following. "It is said throughout the Christian world that the members of the church constitute the body of Christ, and that they are in His body. How then can any person in the church approach God the Father, except through Him in whose body he is? Otherwise he would inevitably leave the body to approach Him." Finally we informed them that at the present time a new church is being established by the Lord, which is meant by the New Jerusalem in Revelation. In this church worship will be directed to the Lord alone, as it is in heaven, and thus all will be accomplished which the Lord's Prayer contains from beginning to end.

'We proved everything from the Gospels and the Prophets in the Word, and from Revelation, which deals from beginning to end with that church, and went on at such length that they became tired of listening.

[9] 'The Armageddon party listened with indignation, and wanted repeatedly to interrupt our speech. Eventually they broke in and cried: "You have spoken against the doctrine of our church, which states that God the Father is to be approached directly, and is to be believed in. You have thus become guilty of violating our faith. So begone from here, or you will be thrown out." Their tempers were so roused they passed from threats to attempted action. But then by the powers we had been given we struck them blind, so that, being unable to see us, they broke out and ran blindly in all directions. Some fell into the abyss described in Revelation (Revelation 9:2), which is now in the southern quarter towards the east; this is where those are to be found who are convinced that justification is effected by faith alone. Those there who prove that doctrine by quoting the Word are cast out into a desert, where they are driven to the edge of the Christian world and mix with the pagans.'

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