2833. And Abraham went, and took the ram. That this signifies their liberation by the Lord’s Divine Human, is evident from the representation of Abraham, as being here the Lord as to His Divine Human (for when Jehovah, or the angel of Jehovah, speaks with Abraham, then “Jehovah,” or the “angel of Jehovah,” is the Divine Itself, and “Abraham” is the Divine Human); and also from the signification of a “ram,” as being the spiritual (n. 2830). It is hence manifest that Abraham’s going and taking the ram caught in the thicket by his horns, signifies the liberation of the spiritual by the Lord’s Divine Human. (That without the Lord’s coming into the world the spiritual could not possibly have been saved, may be seen above, n. 2661, 2716; and that they have salvation and liberation by the Lord’s Divine Human, n. 2716)

1728. And he was priest. That this signifies the holy of love, is evident from the signification of “priest” in the Word. There are two things which are predicated of the Lord, namely, that He is King, and that He is Priest. A king, or the royalty, signifies the holy which is true; and a priest, or the priesthood, signifies the holy which is good; the former is the Divine spiritual, the latter the Divine celestial. The Lord as King governs each and all things in the universe from Divine truth; and as Priest, from Divine good. Divine truth is the very order of His universal kingdom, all the laws of which are truths, or eternal verities; Divine good is the very essential of order, all things of which are of mercy. Both of these are predicated of the Lord. If Divine truth alone were His, no mortal could be saved, for truths condemn everyone to hell; but Divine good, which is of mercy, uplifts from hell to heaven. These are what the kings and priests in the Jewish Church represented and these likewise Melchizedek represented, as king of Salem, and priest to God Most High.