8707. 'And make known to them the way in which they must go' means the light of intelligence and the life led as a result of it. This is clear from the meaning of 'the way' as that which has reference to the understanding of truth, dealt with in 627, 2333, in this instance on a more internal level since it has reference to the understanding of truth which a member of the spiritual Church possesses as a result of the direct influx of truth from the Lord, an influx which does not bring a person any actual discernment of truth, only the light that enables him to use his understanding (the situation with this light is as it is with the light which the sight of the eye depends on. In order that the eye may see objects light is necessary, providing illumination all around; in this light the eye sees and discerns objects, and is struck by their beauty and delightfulness because of their accord with true order. The situation is similar with the sight of the inner eye which is the understanding, in order that this may see, light is again necessary, providing illumination all around, in which objects that are matters of intelligence and wisdom may manifest themselves. The source of this light is Divine Truth which goes forth directly from the Lord, see 8644 (end); and objects in that light appear beautiful and delightful to the extent that they accord with the good anyone possesses); and from the meaning of 'in which (light) they must go' as the life led as a result. For the meaning of 'going' in the internal sense as life, see 3335, 4882, 5493, 5605, 8417, 8420.

2643. 'Who would have said to Abraham, Sarah will suckle sons?' means that by His own power the Lord implanted the Human within the Divine. This is clear from the representation of 'Abraham' and also of 'Sarah', and from the meaning of 'suckling', and of 'sons'. It has been shown already that 'Abraham' represents Divine Good and 'Sarah' Divine Truth. 'Milk' means that which is spiritual from a celestial origin, that is, truth deriving from good, see 2184, so that 'suckling' means implanting that truth; And 'sons' means truths, here truths that exist in the Rational, as is clear from the meaning of 'sons', 489-491, 533. The reason why in the internal sense the words under consideration mean that the Lord by His own power implanted the Human within the Divine is that Divine Truth is one and the same as the Divine Human, and when in reference to this it is said 'to suckle sons for Abraham' the meaning is that He implanted the Human within the Divine; and as it was the Human He implanted, He did so by His own power. But scarcely any clearer and more intelligible explanation of these matters is possible. To say more would obscure still further what is meant; for these are Divine matters, which can be presented to angels alone by means of celestial and spiritual things. If presented to men in some more exalted manner those matters would fall into the material and bodily ideas which men possess.

[2] What is more, it should be recognized that it is the nature of the Lord's Divine Rational when it was first born that is being described by these words, 'God has made laughter for me; everyone that hears will laugh for me; and she said, Who would have said to Abraham, Sarah will suckle sons?' For this was in keeping with an ancient custom that when an infant was born it was given a name which served to mean the state; and at the same time a description of that state was added, as when Cain was born to Eve and Adam, Genesis 4:1, and when Seth was born to the same, Genesis 4:25; and as when Noah was born to Lamech, Genesis 5:29, Esau and Jacob to Isaac, Genesis 25:25-26, the twelve sons to Jacob, Genesis 29:32-35; 30:6, 8, 11, 13, 18, 20, 24; 35:18, Perez and Zerah to Tamar, Genesis 38:29-30, Manasseh and Ephraim to Joseph, Genesis 41:51-52, and Gershom and Eliezer to Moses, Exodus 2:22; 18:4. What all these represent, and what they mean in the internal sense, was embodied in the descriptions added to the names that were given. The same is the case here with what Isaac represents and means. What this name embodies is evident to some small extent from this brief explanation that has been given, but deeper arcana are nevertheless concealed there since they are Divine matters, which no sentences or phrases can be formed to express.