Title: Father Abraham

Topic: The Word

Summary: The true, spiritual meaning why many people in the Old and New Testaments are said to refer to Abraham as their father is that both "Abraham" and "father" mean love. A state of love is the "land of Abraham" that has been promised to us all, if we want it.

Use the reference links below to follow along in the Bible as you watch.

References:
Genesis 11:27-32; 12:1-3; 17:1-5; 26:3-5, 15, 18, 24; 28:4, 10-13; 32:9; 48:15-16
Exodus 2:1; 3:6, 15
Joshua 24:1-3
Isaiah 51:1-3; 63:16
Matthew 3:2, 9-11
Luke 1:67-75; 16:22-31
John 8:33, 37-39, 52-58
James 2:21-23
Matthew 23:9
Genesis 27:9, 14; 44:20
Deuteronomy 7:8; 30:19-20
1 Kings 3:3
Proverbs 3:11-12; 29:3
John 3:35; 5:20; 8:42; 13:1; 14:21

This video is a part of the Spirit and Life Bible Study series, whose purpose is to look at the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible through a Swedenborgian lens.

1470. 'Behold now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look upon' means that truth from a celestial origin is delightful. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'a woman beautiful to look upon'. Every truth that is celestial, that is, which is brought forth from what is celestial, is a source of happiness in the internal man and of delight in the external; and among celestial angels truth is not perceived in any other way. It is altogether different however when it does not have a celestial origin. There are two kinds of happiness in the internal man to which two kinds of delight in the external man correspond. One belongs to good, the other to truth. Celestial happiness and delight go with good, spiritual happiness and delight with truth. Furthermore it is well known that truth holds happiness and delight within it, though these are essentially such only when the truth flows from what is celestial, and therefore when the truth itself becomes celestial and is called celestial truth. This truth may also be compared to the light of the sun in spring, which light carries within it the warmth which causes everything on earth to start to grow and so to speak to come alive. This celestial truth is beauty or beautifulness itself, and is the kind of truth meant here by the words 'a beautiful woman to look upon'. What further arcana are embodied in these words will become evident from what follows