3381. Because that Abraham hearkened to My voice. That this signifies the union of the Lord’s Divine Essence with the Human Essence through temptations, is evident from the representation of Abraham, as being the Lord as to the Divine Human also (see n. 2833, 2836, 3251) and from the signification of “hearkening to My voice,” when predicated of the Lord, as being to unite the Divine Essence to the Human through temptations, for in the Word it is from these that obedience is predicated of the Lord. What is here said has reference to that which is related concerning Abraham in chapter 22, namely, that God tempted him, and said unto him that he should take his son and offer him for a burnt-offering (verses 1-2); and when he hearkened to this voice, it is said:

Now I know that thou fearest God, and thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only one, from Me.

In Myself have I sworn saith Jehovah, because thou hast done this word, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only one, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens (Genesis 22:12, 16-17).

That by “not withholding thy son, thine only one, from Me” (which was “hearkening to the voice”) is signified the unition of the Human with the Divine through the last of temptation, may be seen above (n. 2827, 2844). That this is meant by “hearkening to the voice of Jehovah,” or “the Father,” is evident also from the words of the Lord in Gethsemane:

My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless not My will but Thine be done: again a second time, My Father, if this cup cannot pass from Me except I drink it, Thy will be done (Matthew 26:39, 42 Mark 14:36 Luke 22:42).

But inasmuch as Jehovah or the Father was in Him, or He in the Father and the Father in Him (John 14:10-11), by “hearkening to the voice of Jehovah” is meant that the Lord united the Divine to the Human through temptations, by His own power; as is also evident from the words of the Lord Himself in John:

As the Father knoweth Me, and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. Therefore doth the Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I may take it again. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received from My Father (John 10:15, 17-18). (That the Lord by His own power united His Divine Essence to His Human Essence through temptations, may be seen above, n. 1663, 1668, 1690, 1691, 1725, 1729, 1733, 1737, 1787, 1789, 1812, 1820, 2776, 3318)

2500. Abraham journeyed thence toward the land of the south. That this signifies the Lord’s progression in the goods and truths of faith, is evident from the signification of “journeying,” as being to progress (see n. 1457); and from the signification of the “land of the south,” as being the good and truth of faith (see n. 1458). It has already been stated concerning Abraham, in the twelfth chapter, that he “journeyed, going and journeying toward the south,” when he went into Egypt (verses 9-10); by which was signified in the internal sense that the Lord when a child progressed into goods and truths in respect to the memory-knowledge of knowledges (n. 1456, 1459); ¹ and here it is said that he journeyed “toward the land of the south,” by which there is signified a further and more interior progression, which is into goods and truths in respect to the doctrine of faith; on which account it is here said the “land” of the south, because “land” in its proper sense signifies the church, for the sake of which is doctrine (n. 566, 662, 1066, 2117, 2118).

[2] As regards the Lord’s instruction in general, the nature of it is very clear in the internal sense of this chapter; namely, that it was by continual revelations, and thus by Divine perceptions and thoughts from Himself, that is, from His Divine; which perceptions and thoughts He implanted in Divine intelligence and wisdom, and this even to the perfect union of His Human with His Divine. This way of growing wise is not possible with any man; for it flowed in from the Divine itself, which was His inmost, being of the Father, of whom He was conceived; thus from the Divine Love itself, which the Lord alone had, and which consisted in His desire to save the universal human race.

[3] It is an arcanum which is as yet known to scarcely anyone, that within love itself there are wisdom and intelligence; these being such as is the love. That wisdom and intelligence are within love comes from the fact that all influx takes place into the love, or what is the same, into the good, thus into man’s very life. This is the source of the wisdom and intelligence of the angels, which is ineffable. It is also the source of the wisdom and intelligence of men who are in love to the Lord and in charity toward the neighbor; who, although they have no perception of it in themselves while they are living in the body, nevertheless come into it after death, for the reason that it is within this very love and charity (see n. 2494). But as regards the Lord’s love, it was infinitely above the love in which the angels are, for it was the Divine love itself; and therefore He had in Himself a supereminence of all wisdom and intelligence; into which however because He was born a man, and was to progress as a man according to Divine order, He introduced Himself by successive steps, in order that He might thus unite His Human to the Divine, and make it Divine; and this by His own power.

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