696. And to those that fear thy name, the small and the great.- That this signifies, and to all those, of whatever religion, who worship the Lord, is evident from the signification of fearing the name of the Lord God, as denoting to worship the Lord (of which presently); and from the signification of the small and the great, as denoting of whatever religion; for the small mean those who know little of the truths and goods of the church, and the great, those who know much, thus those who worship the Lord little and much. For so far as a man knows the truths of faith, and lives according to them, in so far does he worship the Lord, for worship is not from man, but from the truths from good that are in man, since these are from the Lord, and the Lord is in them. Those that fear Thy name, the small and the great, mean all who worship the Lord of whatever religion, because, just previously, mention is made of servants, prophets, and saints, by whom are meant all those within the church who are in truths of doctrine, and in a life according to them. Therefore by those that fear Thy name, the small and the great, are meant all those without the church who worship the Lord according to their religion; for those who worship the Lord, and live in any kind of faith and charity, according to their religion, also fear God's name. In fact, this verse treats of the Last Judgment upon all, both the evil and the good. A last judgment takes place upon all, both those within and those without the church, and then all those who, from their religion, fear God, and live in mutual love, in uprightness of heart and sincerity, are saved; for all such by all intuitive faith in God, and by a life of charity, are associated as to their souls with the angels of heaven, and are thus conjoined with the Lord and saved. For every one after death comes to his own in the spiritual world, with whom he was associated as to his spirit during his life in the natural world.

[2] The small and the great signify less or more, that is, those who worship the Lord less or more, thus those who are less or more in truths from good, because the spiritual sense of the Word has no reference to persons, having regard to nothing but the thing signified; and the expression the small and the great there does imply persons, for it means men who worship God. For this reason, instead of the small and the great, less or more are meant in the spiritual sense, thus those who worship less or more from genuine truths and goods. It is similar in respect to the servants, prophets, and saints, treated of just above, by whom, in the spiritual sense, are not meant prophets and saints, but, apart from persons, truths of doctrine and a life according to them. While these are meant, also all those who are in truths of doctrine and in a life according to them are included, for these things are in angels and men as their subjects. But in such case to think only of angels and men is natural, while to think of truths of doctrine and of life - these being the things that make angels and men - is spiritual. It is therefore evident how the spiritual sense, in which angels are, differs from the natural sense, in which men are, that is, in every particular which a man thinks, there inheres something of person, space, time, and matter, while angels think of things apart from these. For this reason, the speech of angels is incomprehensible to man, because it flows from intuition of the thing, and thus from wisdom separated from such things as are proper to the natural world, and thus respectively indeterminate in regard to such things.

[3] To fear Thy name signifies to worship the Lord, because to fear signifies to worship, and Thy name signifies the Lord; for in the preceding verse it is said, that the twenty-four elders gave thanks to the Lord God, Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come, therefore to fear Thy name means to worship the Lord. In the Word, both that of the Old and that of the New Testament, the expressions the name of Jehovah, the name of the Lord, the name of God, and the name of Jesus Christ are used, and in such cases name means all those things whereby He is worshipped, thus all things of love and of faith; and, in the highest sense, the Lord Himself is meant, because where He is, there also are all things of love and faith. That such is the signification of the name of Jehovah, of the Lord God, and of Jesus Christ, may be seen above (n. 102, 135, 224), and it is also evident from these words of the Lord:

"If two of you shall agree on earth in my name, as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by my Father, who is in the heavens; for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:19, 20).

Here to agree together in the name of the Lord, and to be gathered together in His name, does not mean in the name alone, but in those things that belong to the Lord, which are truths of faith and goods of love, by means of which He is worshipped.

[4] To fear, when spoken of the Lord, signifies to worship and to reverence, because in worship, and in all things pertaining to it, there is a holy and reverential fear, which leads one to feel that He is to be honoured, and in no way to be grieved. For it is as with children towards their parents, parents towards their children, wives towards their husbands, and husbands towards their wives, similarly as with friends towards friends, in whom there is respect and a fear of giving offence; such fear and respect are in all love and in all friendship, so that love and friendship without such fear and respect are like unsalted food which is insipid. This now is the reason why to fear the Lord means to worship Him from such love.

[5] It is said that to fear Thy name signifies to worship the Lord, and yet those who fear Him mean, here, those who are without the church, to whom the Lord is unknown, because they do not possess the Word. Nevertheless all such as have, in regard to God, an idea of a Human, are accepted by the Lord, for God under the Human form is the Lord; but those, whether within or without the church, who do not think of God as a Man, on their coming into their spiritual life, which takes place after their departure out of this world, are not accepted by the Lord, because they have no determinate idea concerning God, but only an indeterminate one, which is no idea at all, or if it be it is nevertheless dissipated. This is the reason why all who come from the earths (e terris) into the spiritual world, are first explored in regard to what idea of God they have held and have brought with them. If they have no idea of Him as a Man, they are sent to places of instruction, and are taught that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that, when they think of God, they must think of the Lord, and that otherwise there can be no conjunction with God, nor consequently any association with angels. Then all those who have lived a life of charity receive instruction, and worship the Lord; but all those who declare that they have had faith, but who have not been in the life of faith, which is charity, do not receive instruction; they are therefore separated, and sent away into places below the heavens, some into the hells, and some into that part (terra) which is called in the Word "the lower earth," where they suffer severely. Still, however, the Gentiles, to whom the laws of religion are laws of life, receive doctrine concerning the Lord more readily than Christians, and they do so especially because their only idea of God has been that of a Divine Man. We have said these things in order that it may be known why it is that to fear Thy name means to worship the Lord.

[6] In many places in the Word the expression to fear Jehovah God is used, by which worship is meant; it therefore shall be explained in a few words what worship in particular is meant by fearing God. All worship of Jehovah God must be from the good of love by means of truths. Worship from the good of love alone is not worship, neither is that worship which is from truths alone without the good of love; but both are necessary. For the essential of worship is the good of love, but good exists and is formed by means of truths, and therefore all worship must be by means of truths from good. Because this is so, therefore in many passages in the Word, where it is said "to fear Jehovah God," it is also said "to keep " and "do His words and commandments." In these places therefore to fear signifies worship by means of truths, and to keep and do signifies worship from the good of love; for doing is of the will, thus of love and of good, and fearing is of the understanding, thus of faith and of truth, for all truth which is of faith belongs properly to the understanding, and all good which is of love belongs properly to the will. From this it can be seen, that the fear of Jehovah God has reference to worship by means of truths of doctrine, which are called also truths of faith. Such worship is meant by the fear of Jehovah God, because Divine Truth causes fear, for it condemns the evil to hell; but not so Divine Good, for so far as this is received by means of truths by men and angels, it takes away condemnation. It is consequently evident that so far as man is in the good of love there is the fear of God; and that in proportion as dread and terror pass away, and become a holy fear attended with reverence, so far man is in the good of love and in truths therefrom, that is, so far as there is good in his truths. It consequently follows, that fear in worship is varied with every one, according to the state of his life, and also that the sanctity attended with reverence that is in the fear of those who are in good, is also varied according to the reception of good in the will, and according to the reception of truth in the understanding, that is, according to the reception of good in the heart and the reception of truth in the soul.

[7] But what has just been stated will be more evident from the following passages in the Word.

In Moses:

"What doth Jehovah God require of thee, but to fear Jehovah thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Jehovah thy God from thy whole heart, and from thy whole soul" (Deuteronomy 10:12, 20).

It is here said to fear Jehovah God, to walk in His ways, to love Him, and to serve Him, and by all these expressions worship by means of truths from good is described, worship by means of truths is meant by fearing Jehovah God and serving Him, and worship from good by walking in His ways and loving Him. Therefore it is also said, from the whole heart, and from the whole soul, heart signifying the good of love and of charity which pertains to the will, and soul the truth of doctrine, and of faith which pertains to the understanding. The heart corresponds to the good of love, and in man to his will; and soul corresponds to the truth of faith, and in man to his understanding; for soul (anima) means the animation or respiration of man, which is also called his spirit. That soul in the Word signifies the life of faith, and heart the life of love, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 2930, 9050, 9281).

[8] In the same:

"Ye shall go after Jehovah your God, and shall fear him, that ye may keep his precepts, and hear his voice and serve him, and cleave to him" (Deuteronomy 13:4).

To go after Jehovah God, to keep His precepts, and to cleave to him, signify the good of life, thus the good of love, from which is worship; and to fear Jehovah God, to hear His voice, and to serve Him, signify the truths of doctrine, thus the truths of faith by means of which there is worship. Since all worship of the Lord must be by means of truths from good, and not by means of truths without good, nor by means of good without truths, therefore in every particular of the Word there is a marriage of good and truth, as in the passages already cited, and also in the following. (Concerning the marriage of good and truth in the particulars of the Word, see above n.238 at the end, 288, 660).

[9] In the same:

"Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God, him thou shalt serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and in his name thou shalt swear" (Deuteronomy 10:20).

Here also to fear Jehovah God, and to serve Him, involve truths of worship, and to cleave to Jehovah God, and to swear in His name, involve the good of worship. For to cleave to is an expression relating to the good of love, since he who loves also cleaves to; to swear in the name of Jehovah has a similar meaning, for what is about to be done is confirmed by that means. To serve involves truths of worship, because servants, in the Word, mean those who are in truths, and this for the reason that truths serve good, as may be seen above (n. 6, 409).

[10] In the same:

"That thou mayest fear Jehovah thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments; thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God, and him shalt thou serve, and in his name shalt thou swear, ye shall not go after other gods; Jehovah hath commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear Jehovah our God" (Deuteronomy 6:2, 13, 14, 24).

Worship by means of truths from good, or by means of faith from love, is also described here. To fear Jehovah God and to serve Him, means worship, by means of truths of faith, and to keep and do his statutes and commandments, and to swear in the name of Jehovah, means worship from the good of love. For to keep and to do statutes and commandments is the good of life, which is the same as the good of love, since he who loves also lives. To swear in the name of Jehovah has a similar meaning, for to swear denotes to confirm by life. That to fear Jehovah and to serve Him, denotes worship according to truths of doctrine, has been shown above. For there are two things which constitute worship, namely, doctrine and life; doctrine without life does not constitute it, neither life without doctrine.

[11] Similarly in the following passages.

In Deuteronomy:

"Assemble the people that they may hear, and that they may learn and may fear Jehovah your God, and may observe to do all the words of the law" (Deuteronomy 31:12).

In the same:

"If thou wilt not observe to do all the commandments of this law, to fear this glorious and venerable name, Jehovah thy God" (Deuteronomy 28:58).

In the same:

The king "shall write for himself a copy of the law, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, wherein he may learn to fear Jehovah his God, to keep all the words of the law, and the statutes to do them" (Deuteronomy 17:18, 19).

In the same:

"Thou shalt keep the commandments of Jehovah thy God, to go in his ways, and to fear him" (Deuteronomy 8:6).

And in the same:

"Who will give that they may have a heart to fear me, and to keep my commandments all the days?" (5:29).

In these passages fearing Jehovah God is connected with keeping and doing the commandments of the law, also with going in his ways, because as stated, all internal spiritual worship of God, consisting in the good of life, must be performed according to truths of doctrine, since these must teach. Worship according to truths of doctrine is signified by fearing Jehovah, and worship from the good of life by keeping His commandments and going in His ways, to go in the ways of Jehovah denoting to live according to truths of doctrine; and because worship according to truths of doctrine is meant by fearing Jehovah, therefore it is said that the fear of Jehovah shall be learned from the law. But let it be observed, that the fear of Jehovah denotes internal spiritual worship, which must be in external natural worship; for internal spiritual worship consists in thinking and understanding truths, thus in thinking reverently and in a holy manner of God, which is to fear Him, while external natural worship consists in doing those truths, that is, in keeping the commandments and words of the law.

[12] In David:

"Teach me, Jehovah, thy way, teach it me in truth, unite my heart to the fear of thy name" (Psalm 86:11).

To teach the way signifies to teach the truth in agreement with which the life ought to be lived, therefore it is said, teach it in truth. That good of love must be conjoined with truths of faith is signified by, unite my heart to the fear of Thy name, the heart signifying love, and fear the holiness of faith, which must be united, that is, must be together, in worship.

[13] Again:

"Blessed is every one that feareth Jehovah, that walketh in his ways" (Psalm 128:1).

To fear Jehovah here also denotes to think of God in a reverent and holy manner, and to walk in His ways denotes to live according to Divine truths. There is worship by means of both of these; but in external worship, which consists in living according to Divine truths, there must be internal worship, which is to fear Jehovah, therefore it is said that he feareth Jehovah who walketh in His ways.

Again:

"Blessed is the man who feareth Jehovah, who delighteth greatly in His commandments" (Psalm 112:1).

The signification here is similar to that of the verse above; for to delight greatly in the commandments of Jehovah is to love them, consequently to will and to do them.

[14] In Jeremiah:

"They feared not, neither walked they in my law, nor in my statutes" (44:10).

Not to fear denotes not to think of God from the truths of the Word, thus not reverently and in a holy manner; not to walk in the law of God, nor in His statutes, denotes not to live them, commandments denoting the laws of internal worship, and statutes the laws of external worship.

[15] In Malachi:

"If I be a Father, where is my honour; if I be Lord, where is the fear of me?" (1:6).

The terms honour and fear are used, because honour is said of worship from good, and fear of worship by means of truths. (That honour is used in reference to good, may be seen above, n. 288, 345); therefore also honour is said of Father, and fear of Lord, for Jehovah is called Father from Divine Good, and Lord, in this place, from Divine Truth.

[16] In the same prophet:

"My covenant was with" Levi, "of life and of peace, which I gave him with fear; and he feared me" (2:5).

Levi here means the Lord as to the Divine Human, and the covenant of life and of peace signifies the union of His Divine with Himself (cum Ipso), and fear and fearing signify holy truth, with which there is union.

[17] In Isaiah:

"The spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding; the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah, whence his offering of incense shall be in the fear of Jehovah" (11:2, 3).

These words are also said of the Lord, and they describe the Divine Truth, in which and from which are all wisdom and all understanding. The Divine Truth that was in the Lord, when He was in the world, and which since the glorification of His Human goes forth from Him, is meant by the spirit of Jehovah, which rested upon Him; that He has Divine Wisdom and Divine Power therefrom, is meant by the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and by the spirit of counsel and might. That thence He has omniscience and essential holiness in worship, is meant by the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah; and because fear signifies holiness of worship from Divine Truth, therefore it is said, whence His offering of incense shall be in the fear of Jehovah; for to offer incense signifies worship from the spiritual-Divine which is Divine Truth. That this is the signification of offering incense may be seen above (n. 324, 491, 492, 494, 567). It is said, the spirit of wisdom, understanding, knowledge and fear, for spirit means the proceeding Divine, the spirit of wisdom the celestial Divine, which is the proceeding Divine received by the angels of the inmost or third heaven; the spirit of understanding the spiritual Divine, which is the proceeding Divine received by the angels of the middle or second heaven; the spirit of knowledge the natural Divine, which is the proceeding Divine received by the angels of the ultimate or first heaven and the spirit of the fear of Jehovah means all the holiness of worship from these Divines.

[18] In Jeremiah:

"I will give them one heart and one way, to fear me all their days for good to them; and I will make with them the covenant of an age; and my fear will I put in their heart, that they may not depart from me" (32:39, 40).

I will give them one heart and one way to fear Me, signifies one will and one understanding to worship the Lord, the heart signifying the good of the will, way the truth of the understanding which leads, and fear the holy worship therefrom. I will make with them the covenant of an age, and My fear will I put in their heart, signifies conjunction by means of the good of love, and by means of the truth of that good in worship, covenant denoting conjunction, and fear in the heart, the holiness of worship from truth in the good of love; that they may not depart from Me, signifies for the sake of conjunction. Since conjunction with the Lord is effected by means of truths from good, and not by means of truths without good, nor by means of good without truths, therefore both are here mentioned.

[19] In David:

"O house of Aaron, trust ye in Jehovah, ye that fear Jehovah, trust in Jehovah" (Psalm 115:10, 11).

The house of Aaron signifies all those who are in the good of love, and those that fear Jehovah signify all those who are in truth from that good.

In the Apocalypse:

"The angel who had the eternal gospel said, Fear God, and give glory; adore him" (14:7).

To fear God and give glory to Him signifies to worship the Lord from holy truths; and to adore Him signifies from the good of love.

In David:

"Let all the earth fear before Jehovah; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. Behold the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear him, that wait for his mercy" (Psalm 33:8, 18).

In the same:

"The good pleasure of Jehovah is in them that fear him, in them that wait for his mercy" (Psalm 147:11).

Because the fear of Jehovah signifies the reception of Divine Truth, and mercy the reception of Divine Good, it is therefore said that the eye and the good pleasure of Jehovah are upon them that fear Him, upon them that wait for His mercy.

[20] In Isaiah:

"The mighty people shall honour thee, the city of the strong nations shall fear thee" (25:3).

Here also to honour signifies worship from good, for honour is said of the good of love; and worship from truths is signified by fearing the Lord, as said above. By mighty people are signified the men of the church who are in truths from good, for all power is therefrom; the city of the strong nations signifies those who are in truths of doctrine, and by means of these in the good of love; and as all spiritual power is from that source, therefore they are called strong nations. From these words also it is clear that there is a marriage of good and truth in every particular of the Word; for to honour is said of good, and to fear of truth, both of them in worship. The term people is used of those who are in truths, and by means of these in good, but nations of those who are in good, and from that in truths. And because all power in the spiritual world is from the conjunction of good and truth, therefore the people are called mighty, and the nations strong.

[21] The fear of Jehovah also in the following passages signifies worship in which there is holiness by means of truths.

In Isaiah:

"The heart" of the people "hath departed far from me, and their fear toward me hath become a commandment taught of men" (29:13).

In the same:

"Who among you feareth Jehovah, hearing the voice of his servant? He that walketh in darkness, and hath no brightness; that trusteth in the name of Jehovah, and leaneth upon his God" (50:10).

In Jeremiah:

"They shall bear all the good which I do unto them, that they may fear and be moved for all the good, and for all the peace which I will do unto it" (33:9).

In David:

"The angel of Jehovah encampeth round about them that fear him, to deliver them. Fear Jehovah, ye his saints, for there is no want to them that fear him" (Psalm 34:7, 9).

In the same:

"Who have no changes, neither fear they God" (Psalm 55:19).

In the same:

"The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom, a good understanding have all they that do them" (Psalm 111:10).

Because fear has reference to Divine Truth from which are holiness in worship, wisdom and intelligence, therefore it is said, the fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom, a good understanding, that is, intelligence, have all they that do them.

In the same:

"They that fear Jehovah shall praise him; all the seed of Jacob shall honour him, and all the seed of Israel shall fear him" (Psalm 22:23).

[22] In Luke:

"The mercy" of God "is unto generation of generations to them that fear him" (1:50).

That to fear Jehovah God means and therefore signifies to have a sense of holiness and reverence, consequently to worship him in a holy and reverent manner is also evident from these passages.

In Moses:

"Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and my sanctuary shall ye fear" (Leviticus 19:30);

"Ye shall reverence" (26:2).

In the same:

"The work of Jehovah, how is that to be feared (reverenced), which I will do" (Exodus 34:10).

In the same:

"And Jacob was afraid, and said, How [greatly] to be feared (reverenced) is this place; this is none other but the house of God, and the gate of heaven" (Genesis 28:17).

That to fear, when said of the Divine, and of the holiness of heaven and of the church, signifies to revere and to hold in reverence, is evident from the above passages, also from this fact, that the same word which in Hebrew signifies to fear, also signifies to revere and to venerate.

This is also evident from these words in Luke:

"There was a judge in a certain city who feared not God, neither reverenced man, who said within himself, Although I fear not God, nor reverence man" (18:2, 4).

It is said to fear God, and to reverence man, because to fear signifies to reverence in a higher degree.

[23] In Matthew:

Jesus said, "Fear not them who are able to kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna" (10:28; Luke 12:4, 5, 7).

Here however to fear signifies to stand in fear of dying spiritually, consequently natural fear, which is fearfulness and dread; but spiritual fear is a holy fear, that abides interiorly in all spiritual love variously according to the quality and extent of the love. In this fear is the spiritual man; he knows also that the Lord does not do evil to any one, much less does He destroy any one, as to body and soul in Gehenna, but that He does good to all, and desires to raise up every one, as to body and soul, into heaven to Himself. This is why the fear of the spiritual man is a holy fear, lest through evil of life and falsity of doctrine man should turn away from and thus injure that Divine love in himself. But natural fear is a fearfulness, dread, and terror of dangers, and punishment, and thus of hell; this fear abides in all corporeal love, and also variously according to the quality and extent of that love. The natural man who is in such fear knows no otherwise than that the Lord inflicts evil upon the evil, condemns them, casts them into hell, and punishes them, and on this account such persons are in fear and dread of the Lord. Most of the Jewish and Israelitish nation were in this fear, because they were natural men; for this reason the expression "to be afraid and to tremble before Jehovah" is so frequently used, and also "they were in fear and trembling;" for the same reason it is said of the sons of Israel that "they were sore afraid" when the Divine Law or Divine Truth was promulgated from Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:18-20; Deuteronomy 5:23-25).

[24] It is this fear that is meant in part by "The dread of Isaac" by whom Jacob sware to Laban (Genesis 31:42, 53); for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the Word, mean the Lord; Abraham means the Lord as to the celestial Divine, Isaac, as to the spiritual Divine, and Jacob, as to the natural Divine. The spiritual Divine signified by Isaac is the Divine Truth, which terrifies natural men, and because Laban was a natural man, it is therefore said, Jacob sware to him, by the dread or terror of Isaac. An almost similar fear is meant in Isaiah:

"Ye shall sanctify Jehovah Zebaoth, for he is your fear and your dread" (8:13).

Here fear has reference to the spiritual man, and dread to the natural man. As the spiritual man should not be in such fear as the natural man is in, it is therefore said, "Fear not."

In Isaiah:

Jacob and Israel "Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, calling thee by thy name, thou art mine" (43:1).

In Luke:

"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (12:32);

and in Jeremiah:

"Fear not, Jacob my servant, and be not afraid, O Israel, for I will keep thee from afar; Jacob shall be tranquil and at rest, none making him afraid" (30:9, 10)

and in many other passages. Moreover, that fear, terror, consternation, and similar expressions signify various disturbances of the feelings (animi), and changes of the state of the mind, may be seen above (n. 667, 677).

3325. 'Sell me - as if today - your birthright' means that in the short term the doctrine of truth was apparently prior. This is clear from the meaning of 'selling' as claiming for oneself; from the meaning of 'as if today' as in the short term (for in the internal sense of the Word 'today' means that which is perpetual and eternal, 2838. But to avoid its meaning perpetual and eternal the expression 'as if today' is used, the expression as if indicating that it was so apparently); and from the meaning of 'birthright' as the fact that it - that is to say, the doctrine of truth, which Jacob represents, 3305 - is prior.

[2] By the expressions prior and priority of place, describing the birthright, are meant not only first in time but also first in degree; that is to say, it is a question of which one is to have dominion, good or truth? For until it has been joined to good truth is always prior; or what amounts to the same, until they have been regenerated, people governed by truth believe that truth is prior to and higher than good. That is how it appears at that time; but once truth with them has been joined to good, that is, once they have been regenerated, they see and perceive that truth is posterior and lower than good, and with them good has dominion over truth. This is what is meant by that which Isaac his father told Esau,

Behold, of the fatness of the earth will be your dwelling, and of the dew of heaven from above. And by your sword you will live, and you will serve your brother; and it will be, when you have dominion, that you will break his yoke from above your neck Genesis 27:39-40.

[3] But because within the Church those who are not being regenerated outnumber those who are, and those who are not base their judgements on what is the appearance, it has therefore been disputed, even from ancient times, whether priority of place belongs to truth or to good. With those who have not been regenerated and also with those who are not completely regenerate the opinion prevails that truth is prior, for they have not yet acquired a perception of good; and as long as anybody is without a perception of good he is in the dark or ignorant regarding these matters. But because those who have been regenerated are governed by good itself, they are able to discern from resulting intelligence and wisdom what good is, and that good comes from the Lord and flows in by way of the internal man into the external, doing so constantly without the person being aware of it. They are able to perceive that it joins itself to the truths of doctrine that are in the memory, and that as a consequence good in itself is prior even though it has not appeared so beforehand. This then is why the dispute arose about which one was prior and higher than the other, a dispute which was represented by Esau and Jacob, as well as by Perez and Zerah, Judah's sons by Tamar, Genesis 38:28-30, and also after that by Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, Genesis 48:13-14, 17-20. The dispute arises because the spiritual Church is such that it has to be led to good by means of truth, and while being led to good it does not have the perception of good except insofar as this, quantitatively and qualitatively, lies concealed within the affection for truth. At that time it is indistinguishable from the delight of self-love and of love of the world which exists at the same time within that affection and is believed to be good.

[4] Good however is the firstborn, that is, good flowing from love to the Lord and from love towards the neighbour, for no other good is good except that which flows from these. This becomes clear from the fact that life is present within good but not within truth except the life received from good, and from the fact that good flows into truths and gives them life, as may be seen clearly from what has been stated and shown already in 3324 about good and truth. For this reason all in whom love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour are present are called 'the firstborn'. They were also represented in the Jewish Church by firstborn creatures - that is, when these are understood in the relative sense; for the Lord is the Firstborn, and those people are likenesses and images of Him.

[5] The Lord as regards His Divine Human is the Firstborn. This is clear in David,

He will cry to Me, You are My Father, My God, and the Rock of My Salvation; I will also make Him the Firstborn, supreme over the kings of the earth. My mercy I will keep for Him for ever, and My covenant will stand firm for Him, and I will establish His seed for ever, and His throne as the days of the heavens. Psalms 89:26-29.

This refers to the Lord. And in John,

From Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the Firstborn from mortal men, and Prince of the kings of the earth. Revelation 1:5.

And to fulfil those things that had been written regarding Him and that represented Him He was also the Firstborn Son, Luke 2:7, 22-23.

[6] The Lord also calls 'the firstborn' those in whom love to Him and charity towards the neighbour are present because they are likenesses and images of Him This is clear in John,

The hundred and forty-four thousand purchased from the earth - these are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins; these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes; these have been purchased from men as firstfruits (the firstborn) to God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are spotless before God's throne. Revelation 14:3-5.

'A hundred and forty-four', or twelve times twelve, stands for those who have the faith that is grounded in charity, 3272, 'thousands' for countless numbers or for them all, 2575, 'virgins' for the good that flows from love to the Lord and from charity towards the neighbour, 2362, 3081, and so for those with whom innocence is present, which is also the meaning of 'following the Lamb' since the Lord by virtue of His innocence is called 'the Lamb'. This is why they are called the firstfruits or the firstborn.

[7] From these quotations it is evident that the Lord as regards the Divine Human was represented in the Jewish Church by firstborn beings, as also are those with whom love to Him is present, for they abide in the Lord. But the firstborn beings mentioned in the Word have a dual representation. They represent the Lord as regards Divine celestial love and as regards Divine spiritual love. The Lord's Divine celestial love is specific to the celestial Church, or to those belonging to that Church, who are called celestial on account of their love to the Lord. The Lord's Divine spiritual love is specific to the spiritual Church, or to those belonging to that Church, who are referred to as spiritual on account of their love to the neighbour. The Lord's Divine love goes out to all, but because people receive it variously - the celestial person in one way, the spiritual in another - it is said to be specific.

[8] Concerning the firstborn beings which represented the Lord as regards Divine celestial love, and also the people who belonged specifically to the celestial Church, the following is said in Moses,

The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. You shall do the same with your oxen and your flock. Seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth you shall give it to Me. And you shall be men who are sanctified to Me. Exodus 22:29-31.

The reason why it was to stay seven days with its mother was that the seventh day meant the celestial man, 84-87, and that seven consequently means that which is holy, 395, 433, 716, 881. The reason why on the eighth day they were to be given to Jehovah was that the eighth day meant the continuation from a new beginning, that is to say, the continuation of love, 2044. In the same author,

The firstborn among beasts, which is given as the firstborn to Jehovah, no man shall consecrate it; whether an ox or of the herd, it is Jehovah's. Leviticus 27:26, 27.

In the same author,

The firstfruits of all that is in the land, which they bring to Jehovah, shall be yours (Aaron's); every clean person in your house shall eat them. All that opens the womb among all flesh which they offer to Jehovah, man and beast, shall be yours. Nevertheless you shall redeem the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of unclean beasts you shall redeem. The firstborn of an ox, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat you shall not redeem; they are holy. Their blood you shall sprinkle over the altar and burn their fat as a fire-offering for an odour of rest to Jehovah. Numbers 18:13, 15-18.

In the same author,

Every firstborn male that is born among your herds and among your flocks you shall sanctify to Jehovah your God; you shall do no work by means of the firstborn of your oxen, and you shall not shear the firstborn of your flock. And if there is a blemish in it, lameness or blindness, any ill blemish whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to Jehovah your God. Deuteronomy 15:19-22.

[9] Because 'the firstborn [among beasts]' represented the Lord and those who are the Lord's by virtue of love to Him, the tribe of Levi was therefore taken instead of all the firstborn, the reason for this being that Levi represented the Lord as regards His love. Also, Levi means love, for Levi is a name that means to cling to and to be joined together - and 'to cling to' and 'to be joined together' in the internal sense is love. This will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with later on, at Genesis 29:34. Regarding the Levites the following is said in Moses,

Jehovah spoke to Moses. saying, Behold, I Myself will take the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel, instead of every firstborn, that which opens the womb, from the children of Israel; and the Levites will be Mine. For every firstborn is Mine; on the day I struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified every firstborn for Myself in Israel; from man even to beast they shall be Mine. Numbers 3:11-13.

In the same author,

Jehovah said to Moses, Number every firstborn male from the children of Israel, a month old and over, and take the number of their names. And take the Levites for Me - I am Jehovah - instead of every firstborn among the children of Israel, and the beast of the Levites instead of every firstborn among the beasts of the children of Israel. Numbers 3:40-41, and following verses.

Also Numbers 8:14, 16-18. And the Levites were given to Aaron, Numbers 8:19, because Aaron represented the Lord as regards the priesthood, that is, as regards Divine love; for the priesthood represented the Lord's Divine love, see 1728, 2015 (end).

[10] Concerning the firstborn creatures however which represented the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love, and also the people who belonged specifically to the spiritual Church, the following is said in Jeremiah,

With weeping they will come, and with supplications I will lead them, I will bring them to springs of water in a straight path on which they will not stumble; and I will be a Father to Israel, and Ephraim will be My firstborn. Jeremiah 31:9.

This refers to a new spiritual Church. 'Israel' stands for spiritual good, 'Ephraim' for spiritual truth, who is called 'the firstborn' because the subject is a Church that is to be established in which the understanding - which is the holder of truth - is apparently the firstborn. Indeed Ephraim took Reuben's place and became the firstborn, Genesis 48:5, 20; 1 Chronicles 5:1. He did so because Joseph, whose sons were Ephraim and Manasseh, represented the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love. But fundamentally Israel, that is, spiritual good, is the firstborn. This is clear in Moses,

Jehovah said to Moses, You shall say to Pharaoh, Thus said Jehovah, My firstborn son is Israel, and I say to you, Send My son so that he may serve Me, and you have refused to send him; behold, I kill your son, the firstborn. Exodus 4:22-23.

Here 'Israel' in the highest sense is the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love, and in the relative sense those in whom spiritual love, that is, charity towards the neighbour, is present.

[11] In the case of the spiritual Church, in the beginning or when it is about to be established, it is the doctrine of truth that is the firstborn with the external Church and the truth taught by doctrine the firstborn with the internal Church - or what amounts to the same, the doctrine of faith is the firstborn with the external Church and faith itself with the internal Church. But once it has been set up, or is a reality among its members, it is the good flowing from charity that is the firstborn with the external Church and charity itself with the internal Church. When however the Church does not allow itself to be established, as happens when it is no longer possible for the member of the Church to be regenerated, it gradually retreats from charity and turns aside to faith. Furthermore it no longer concerns itself with life but with doctrine; and when that happens it casts itself into shadows and sinks into falsities and evils. In so doing it ceases to be a Church and brings about its own annihilation. This was represented by Cain, in that he slew Abel his brother - Cain meaning faith separated from charity, and Abel the charity which he annihilated, see 340, 342, 357, 362, and following paragraphs. Later on it was represented by Ham - and Canaan his son - in that he mocked Noah his father, 1062, 1063, 1076, 1140, 1141, 1162, 1179. After that it was represented by Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, in that he defiled his father's bed, Genesis 35:22, and at length by Pharaoh and the Egyptians, in that these afflicted the children of Israel. It is clear from the Word that all these were accursed, as the following shows:

Cain

Jehovah said, What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying out to Me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. Genesis 4:10-11.

Ham and Canaan

Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and pointed it out to his two brothers. And Noah awoke from his wine. He said, Cursed be Canaan, a slave of slaves will he be to his brothers. Genesis 9:22, 24-25.

Reuben

Reuben, my firstborn, you are my strength, and the beginning of my power, excelling in eminence, and excelling in might. Unstable as water, may you not excel, for you went up to your father's bed; then you defiled it. He went up to my couch. Genesis 49:3-4.

This was why he was deprived of the birthright, 1 Chronicles 5:1. The same was represented by Pharaoh and the Egyptians, and therefore their firstborn sons and firstborn creatures were slain. This is clear from their representation as facts, 1164, 1165, 1186, for whenever anyone enters into the arcana of faith along the path of factual knowledge, he no longer believes anything, apart from that which he is able to grasp through sensory evidence and factual knowledge. In that case things which belong to the doctrine of faith, and above all those which are matters of charity, he perverts and annihilates.

[12] These are the considerations which are represented in the internal sense by the slaying of the firstborn sons and firstborn creatures of Egypt, referred to in Moses as follows,

I will pass through the land of Egypt during that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man even to beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgement; I am Jehovah. And the blood will be a sign on your houses where you are; and when I see the blood I will pass by over you, and the plague will not be on you for a destroyer when I strike the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:12-13.

'The firstborn of Egypt' is doctrinal teaching regarding faith and regarding charity, which is perverted, as has been stated, by means of facts. 'The gods of Egypt' on whom judgement would be executed are falsities. No plague would be brought by the destroyer where there was blood on houses means in the highest sense the place where the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love resides, and in the relative sense where spiritual love, that is, charity towards the neighbour, resides, see 1001.

[13] Further reference to Pharaoh and the Egyptians is made in the same book as follows,

Moses said, Thus said Jehovah, As at midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt, and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, and Pharaoh's firstborn who was to sit on his throne, even to the firstborn of the servant-girl who is behind the mill, and all the firstborn of the beasts. But on all the children of Israel not a dog will move its tongue, from man even to beast. Exodus 11:4-7.

And after that,

It happened at midnight, that Jehovah struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from Pharaoh's firstborn who was to sit on his throne even to the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon, ¹ and all the firstborn of the beasts. Exodus 12:29.

The reason why it took place at midnight was that 'night' means the final state of the Church when there is no faith any longer because there is no charity any longer, 221, 709, 1712, 2353. In David,

He struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the beginning of powers in the tents of Ham. Psalms 78:51.

In the same author,

Then Israel came to Egypt, and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham. God struck all the firstborn in their land, the beginning of all their powers. Psalms 105:23, 36.

'The tents of Ham' is the name given to the worship of the Egyptians, which is based on false assumptions that result from truth separated from good, or what amounts to the same, from faith separated from charity - 'tents' meaning worship, see 414, 1102, 1566, 2145, 2152, 3312, and 'Ham' faith separated from charity, 1062, 1063, 1076, 1140, 1141, 1162, 1179.

[14] This confirms yet again that 'the slaying of the firstborn of Egypt' had no other meaning. Now because all the firstborn of Egypt had been slain, and yet so that the firstborn might represent the Lord as regards Divine spiritual love and at the same time represent those who are governed by that love, [the Israelites] were commanded to sanctify all the firstborn the instant they were leaving. These matters are stated in Moses as follows,

Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, Sanctify to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel; with man and with beast let them be Mine. You shall make over to Jehovah all that opens the womb, and every firstling of a beast, that are yours; the males shall be Jehovah's. And every firstling of an ass you shall redeem in the herd. If you do not redeem it, you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. And it shall be - when your son asks you in time to come, saying, What is this? - that you shall say to him, By a strong hand Jehovah led us out of Egypt, from the home of slaves. And so it was, that Pharaoh hardened himself against sending us away, and Jehovah slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man even to the firstborn of the beasts. Therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that open the womb, the males, and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem. Exodus 13:1-2, 12-15; 34:19-20; Numbers 33:3-4.

From all these quotations one may now see what is meant in the spiritual sense by the birthright.

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