68. And His eyes as a flame of fire, signifies Divine Providence from His Divine love. This is evident from the signification of "eyes," as being the understanding (See above, n. 37); and in reference to the Lord, as meaning presence, and thus providence (See Arcana Coelestia 3869[1-14], 10569) of which in what follows; also from the signification of "a flame of fire," as meaning, in reference to the Lord, Divine love. "A flame of fire" means Divine love because from heaven the Lord appears as a sun, and the Divine that proceeds from Him as light, flaming light in the inmost or third heaven, and bright white light in the middle or second heaven. The Divine love itself is what thus appears. From this it is that in the Word "fire" and "flame" signify love (as can be seen from what is shown in the Arcana Coelestia, namely, that in the Word "fire" signifies love in each sense, n. 934, 4906, 5215. That sacred and celestial fire is Divine love, and every affection which is of that love, see n. 934, 6314, 6832. That there are two origins of heat, one the sun of the world, from which all things vegetate upon the earth, the other the sun of heaven, which is the Lord, from which angels and men derive the all of life, see n. 3338, 5215, 7324. That love is the fire of life, and that life itself is actually therefrom, see n. 4906, 5071, 6032, 6314. That flame is truth from the good of the inmost heaven, and light truth from the good of the middle heaven, see n. 3222, 6832; the reason is, that light in the inmost heaven appears flaming, and in the middle heaven bright white, see n. 9570; and likewise in the work on Heaven and Hell 116-140. In reference to the Lord, "eyes" signify Divine Providence, because, in reference to man, they signify understanding; and the Divine understanding, because it is infinite, is Divine Providence. Nothing else is signified by the "eyes" of Jehovah in Isaiah:

Incline thine ear, O Jehovah, and hear; and open thine eyes, O Jehovah, and see (Isaiah 37:17).

In Jeremiah:

I will set Mine eye upon them for good, and I will bring them again to their land, ¹ and I will build them (Jeremiah 24:6).

In David:

Behold the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear Him (Psalms 33:18);

and in the same:

Jehovah is in the temple of His holiness, His eyes behold, and His eyelids prove the sons of man (Psalms 11:4);

and elsewhere. (What Divine Providence is, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 267-279.)

Poznámky pod čarou:

10569. 'And how will it ever be made known that I have found grace in Your eyes, I and Your people? Will it not be in Your going with us?' means acceptance in preference to others if the Divine shows Himself among them. This is clear from the meaning of 'being made known', when it has reference to the Divine among them, as being revealed; from the meaning of 'finding grace in Jehovah's eyes' as being accepted, dealt with above in 10563, in this instance being accepted in preference to others since the words that follow state that if accepted 'I and Your people will be made more distinguished than all the people who are on the face of the ground'; and from the meaning of 'going with us', when it has reference to Jehovah, as the Divine acting as leader, at this point into the land of Canaan, dealt with above in 10567. From all this it is evident that 'how will it ever be made known that I have found grace in Your eyes, I and Your people? Will it not be in Your going with us?' means acceptance in preference to others if the Divine shows Himself among them.

[2] When the words 'in Jehovah's eyes' are used the meaning is the Lord's Divine presence within the truths and forms of the good of faith and love residing with people on earth and with angels in heaven. The reason why the Lord is present within truths and forms of the good of faith and love is that these originate in the Lord Himself, and when the Lord is present within these things as they reside with people on earth or with angels, He is present in what is His residing with them and not in what is their own or their proprium, since this is evil. So it is also that in the Word, in places where people who are receptive of the things which are Divine and the Lord's are the subject, faith and also a receptive understanding is meant by 'the eyes'; for the understanding is the eye within, and faith is the truth that is seen and perceived by it. Regarding 'the eyes', that when people are the subject in the Word, faith and also the understanding are meant by them, see 2701, 4403-4421, 4523-4534, 9051.

[3] The origin of this sight must also be stated. A real light exists that enlightens the understanding, altogether distinct and separate from the light which enables the eyes of the body to see. The light which enlightens the understanding comes from heaven, whereas that which enables the eyes of the body to see exists in the world. The light of heaven flows from the Lord as the Sun there and is essentially Divine Truth emanating from the Lord's Divine Good. From this it is evident why it is that by 'the eyes', when they are attributed to Jehovah, the Lord's Divine presence is meant, and that by 'the eyes', when they are attributed to people receptive of the Lord's Divine Truth or His light, faith and an enlightened understanding are meant.

[4] The existence of the real light that enlightens human minds and forms the understanding is not known in the world, even though people attribute vision and light to the understanding, and even though very many times in the Word the Lord is called the Light, which is taken to mean that He is seen by means of faith and the light of faith. The fact that the real light is what enlightens human minds, and that Divine Truth emanating from the Lord as the Sun is that Light, imparting an intelligent understanding of truth where it is received, see in the places referred to in 9548, 9684, and also what is said in 9570, 9571(end), 9594.

[5] From all this it becomes clear what is meant in the Word by 'Jehovah's eyes', as in Isaiah,

Incline Your ear, O Jehovah, and hear; and open Your eyes, O Jehovah, and see. Isaiah 37:17.

In Jeremiah,

I will set My eye on them for good, and I will bring them back onto their land and build them. Jeremiah 24:6.

In David,

Behold, the eye of Jehovah is on those who fear Him. Psalms 33:18.

And in the same author,

Jehovah is in His holy temple, Jehovah's throne is in heaven; His eyes see, and His eyelids test the sons of man. Psalms 11:4.

And elsewhere.