Arcana Coelestia # 8301
8301. Who is like Thee, O Jehovah, among the gods. That this signifies that all truth of good proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord, is evident from the signification of “gods,” as being truths (see n. 4402, 7268, 7873), here truths from good, because comparison is made with Jehovah, for it is said “who is like Thee, O Jehovah, among the gods?” (That “Jehovah” in the Word denotes the Lord, see n. 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5041, 5663, 6280, 6281, 6303, 6905, 6945, 6956.) That the Divine Human is here meant by “Jehovah,” is because in this song the subject treated of is the salvation of those who had been of the spiritual church, by the coming of the Lord into the world, and by His Divine Human then (n. 2661, 2716, 2833, 2834, 6372, 6854, 6914, 7035, 7091, 7828, 7932, 8018, 8054). That by these words is signified that all the truth of good proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord, is because truths can proceed from everybody; but the truths of good only from the Lord, consequently from those who are in good from the Lord. Truths separate from good are indeed thought and spoken by those who are in persuasive faith and nevertheless in a life of evil, and likewise by many others within the church; but these truths are not of good, thus do not proceed from the Lord, but from themselves.
[2] That truths from good proceed from the Lord can be seen from the fact that the Lord is good itself, because He is love itself; from this proceeds truth, like light from the flame of the sun; and this truth is like the light in the time of spring and summer, which has heat in its bosom, and causes all things of the earth as it were to receive life; whereas the truth which is not from good is like the light in the time of winter, when all things of the earth die. That “gods” denote the truths of good, is because by “gods” in a good sense are meant the angels, who are called “gods” because they are substances or forms recipient of truth in which is good from the Lord.
[3] Angels, and consequently the truths of good which are from the Lord, are also meant by “gods” in David:
God standeth in the assembly of God, He shall judge in the midst of the gods, I said, Ye are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High (Psalms 82:1, 6).
That the truths which proceed from the Lord are what are here meant by “gods,” is evident from the fact that it is first said “the assembly of God,” in the singular number; and afterward, “in the midst of the gods.” (That “God” is mentioned in the Word where truth is treated of, see n. 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921, 4287, 4402, 7010; and that “God” in the supreme sense denotes the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, n. 7268.) In the same:
I will confess to Thee in my whole heart, before the gods will I sing psalms to Thee (Psalms 138:1).
There is none like Thee among the gods, O Lord (Psalms 86:8).
Jehovah is a great God, and a great King above all gods (Psalms 95:3).
Thou, Jehovah, art high above all the earth; Thou art exalted exceedingly above all gods (Psalms 97:9).
I know that Jehovah is great, and that our Lord is above all gods (Psalms 135:5).
Therefore also Jehovah is called “Lord of lords and God of gods” (Deuteronomy 10:17 Josh. 22:22; Psalms 136:2-3).
[4] That it is so often said that “Jehovah is above all gods,” and that He is “God of gods,” is because at that time many gods were worshiped, and the nations were distinguished by the gods whom they worshiped, and each nation believed that its own god was the supreme of all, and because from this the idea of a plurality of gods was seated in all minds, and it was disputed which of them was the greater, as can be sufficiently evident from the historicals of the Word in many passages; and this opinion was seated in the minds of the Jews above others, for which reason it is so often said in the Word that “Jehovah is greater than all gods,” and that “He is King,” and “God of gods.” That this opinion concerning many gods was seated in the minds of the Jews above other nations, can be sufficiently evident from their frequent apostasy to the worship of other gods, of which frequently in the historic books of the Word (see Judges 2:10-13, 17, 19; 3:5-7, 8:27, 33; 10:6, 10, 13; 18:14, 17-18, 20, 24, 31; 1 Samuel 7:3-4; 8:8; 1 Kings 14:23-24; 16:31-33; 18:20; 21:26; 22:53; 2 Kings 16:1, 10; 17:7, 15-17; 21:3-7, 21; 23:4-5, 7-8, 10-13).
[5] That nation was so demented that they confessed Jehovah solely with the mouth; but nevertheless at heart they acknowledged other gods, as can be clearly seen from the fact that after they had seen so many miracles in Egypt, and so many also afterward: the sea divided before them, and the army of Pharaoh immersed therein; the pillar of cloud and of fire continually appearing; the manna raining down daily from heaven; and the very presence of Jehovah with majesty and with terror so great upon Mount Sinai; and after they had uttered a confession that Jehovah alone is God, nevertheless after some weeks, merely because Moses delayed, they demanded for themselves molten gods to worship, and when these gods were made by Aaron, paid them divine worship by a feast, by burnt-offerings and sacrifices, and by dances. From this it can be seen that the worship of many gods clung to their hearts. That this nation was of such a character above every other nation in the whole earth, is also evident in Jeremiah:
Hath a nation changed gods? and My people hath changed its glory for that which doth not profit. Be ye amazed, O heavens, at this, and shudder ye, be ye in exceeding trepidation: according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah (2:11-12, 28).
Moreover the native quality of that nation is such that above all other nations they adore external things, thus idols, and are unwilling to know anything whatever about internal things. For they are the most avaricious of all nations; and avarice such as theirs, which loves gold and silver for the sake of gold and silver, and not for the sake of any use, is an affection in the highest degree earthly, which drags down the mind wholly to the body, and immerses it therein, and so completely closes the interiors that it is utterly impossible for anything of faith and love from heaven to enter. From this it is evident how greatly those err who believe that that nation will be again chosen, or that the church of the Lord will again pass to them, all others being rejected; when yet it would be more easy to convert stones, rather than them, to faith in the Lord. It is believed that the church will again pass to them, because in the prophetics of the Word it is said in many passages that they are to return. But it is not known that in these passages, by “Judah,” by “Jacob,” and by “Israel,” is not meant that nation, but those with whom is the church.
2 Kings 17
1
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel, [and reigned] nine years.
2
He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him.
3
Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and brought him tribute.
4
The king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.
5
Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
6
In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
7
It was so, because the children of Israel had sinned against Yahweh their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,
8
and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they made.
9
The children of Israel did secretly things that were not right against Yahweh their God: and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city;
10
and they set them up pillars and Asherim on every high hill, and under every green tree;
11
and there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the nations whom Yahweh carried away before them; and they worked wicked things to provoke Yahweh to anger;
12
and they served idols, of which Yahweh had said to them, "You shall not do this thing."
13
Yet Yahweh testified to Israel, and to Judah, by every prophet, and every seer, saying, "Turn from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets."
14
Notwithstanding, they would not listen, but hardened their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who didn't believe in Yahweh their God.
15
They rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and [went] after the nations that were around them, concerning whom Yahweh had commanded them that they should not do like them.
16
They forsook all the commandments of Yahweh their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served Baal.
17
They caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger.
18
Therefore Yahweh was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
19
Also Judah didn't keep the commandments of Yahweh their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
20
Yahweh rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21
For he tore Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drove Israel from following Yahweh, and made them sin a great sin.
22
The children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they didn't depart from them;
23
until Yahweh removed Israel out of his sight, as he spoke by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria to this day.
24
The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they possessed Samaria, and lived in the cities of it.
25
So it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they didn't fear Yahweh: therefore Yahweh sent lions among them, which killed some of them.
26
Therefore they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, "The nations which you have carried away, and placed in the cities of Samaria, don't know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they kill them, because they don't know the law of the god of the land."
27
Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, "Carry there one of the priests whom you brought from there; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the law of the god of the land."
28
So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear Yahweh.
29
However every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived.
30
The men of Babylon made Succoth Benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
31
and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burnt their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
32
So they feared Yahweh, and made to them from among themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.
33
They feared Yahweh, and served their own gods, after the ways of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.
34
To this day they do what they did before: they don't fear Yahweh, neither do they follow their statutes, or their ordinances, or the law or the commandment which Yahweh commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;
35
with whom Yahweh had made a covenant, and commanded them, saying, "You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them;
36
but you shall fear Yahweh, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, and you shall bow yourselves to him, and you shall sacrifice to him.
37
The statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment, which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do forevermore. You shall not fear other gods.
38
You shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you; neither shall you fear other gods.
39
But you shall fear Yahweh your God; and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies."
40
However they did not listen, but they did what they did before.
41
So these nations feared Yahweh, and served their engraved images. Their children likewise, and their children's children, as their fathers did, so they do to this day.
