3393. And Abimelech called Isaac, and said. That this signifies the Lord’s perception from doctrine, is evident from the representation of Abimelech, as being the doctrine that looks to rational things (n. 2504, 2509, 2510, 2533, 3391); and from the representation of Isaac, as being the Lord’s Divine rational (of which above); and from the signification of “saying,” as being to perceive (n. 1898, 1919, 2080, 2862). And as “Abimelech” signifies that doctrine in which the Divine was now perceived (n. 3392), therefore by Abimelech is also represented the Lord as to that doctrine. For in the supreme sense all things in the Word in both general and particular have relation to the Lord; and the Lord is doctrine itself, that is, the Word, not only as to the supreme sense therein, but also as to the internal sense, and even as to the literal sense, for this sense is representative and significative of the internal sense, and the internal sense is representative and significative of the supreme sense; and that which in the Word is representative and significative is in its essence that which is represented and signified, thus it is the Divine of the Lord; for a representative is nothing but an image of him who is represented; and is in an image the Lord Himself presented to view. This may be seen from man’s speech, and also from his gesture, these being merely images of the things which come forth within the man, in his thought and will; so that the speech and gesture are the thought and will in form; for if you take away from them the thought and will, that which is left is a mere inanimate affair, thus nothing human. This shows how the case is with the Word, even in the letter, namely, that it is Divine.

2504. And he sojourned in Gerar. That this signifies instruction thence in the spiritual things of faith, is evident from the signification of “sojourning,” as being to be instructed (see n. 1463, 2025); and from the signification of “Gerar,” as being what is spiritual of faith. Gerar is named in several places in Genesis (as chapter 10; 26:1, 6, 17, 20, 26); and in these it signifies faith, and this for the reason that Gerar was in Philistia; and by “Philistia” is signified the mere memory-knowledge of the knowledges of faith (see n. 1197, 1198); and it was Gerar where the king of the Philistines dwelt. Hence it is that faith itself is signified by “Gerar” (n. 1209); and by the “king of Gerar,” the truth itself of faith; for “king” in the internal sense is truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069). Thus by “Abimelech” is signified the doctrine of faith, concerning which in what follows.

[2] In general there are intellectual things of faith, rational things of faith, and memory-knowledges of faith. They thus proceed in their order from interiors to exteriors. The things of faith which are inmost are called intellectual; those which proceed from them or thence are the rational things of faith; and those which proceed again from these are the memory-knowledges of faith. They are-to use the language of the learned-as prior to posterior, or what is the same, as higher to lower, that is, as interior to exterior. It indeed appears to man as if the memory-knowledge of faith were first, and that the rational then came forth from it, and at length the intellectual; and this for the reason that man advances in this way from his childhood. Nevertheless, although man is not aware of it, the intellectual flows in continually into the rational, and this into the faculty of knowing; ¹ but in childhood obscurely, in adult age more evidently, and at last in full light when the man has been regenerated. Then it is apparent that this is the order, and still more fully in the other life (see n. 1495). All these are called “spiritual things;” which are distinguished in this way into degrees, and succeed one another in such an order. The spiritual things of faith are all the truths which are from good, that is, from a celestial origin. Whatever is derived from the celestial is a spiritual thing of faith.

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