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Apocalypse Explained # 294

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294. Because thou hast created all things. That this signifies that from Him is all existence and life, and heaven for those who receive is evident from the signification of creating, as denoting not only that all things exist from the Lord, but also that all life is from Him. And because the spiritual sense of the Word treats only of heaven and the church, therefore by creating is here primarily signified to reform, thus to give heaven to those who receive, for this is to reform. (That the existence of all things is from the Lord, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 7-12, 137; and that all life is from the Heaven and Hell 9, in the same work, and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 278). But by creating, in this passage, is not signified natural existence and life, but spiritual existence and life; this latter is everywhere signified by creating, when mentioned in the Word; the reason is that the existence of heaven and earth is not the end of creation, but a means to the end. The end of creation is, that the human race may exist and that from it there may be an angelic heaven; this therefore being the end, to create signifies to reform, which is to give heaven to those who receive. Ends are what are meant in the spiritual sense of the Word, but, in the sense of the letter, only the means which involve ends are mentioned; in this manner does what is spiritual lie hidden in the letter of the Word.

[2] That to create signifies to reform and regenerate men, and so to establish the church, is evident from those passages in the Word where the term occurs; as in the following: In Isaiah:

"I will give in the wilderness the cedar of shittah, and the myrtle and the oil tree. That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of Jehovah hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it" (41:19, 20).

The subject here treated of is the establishment of the church among the nations; the wilderness signifies their not being in good because in ignorance of truth, for all good into which man is reformed is imparted only by truths. The cedar of shittah signifies genuine truths; the myrtle and the oil tree signify spiritual good and celestial good. It is evident therefore what is signified by giving in the wilderness the cedar of shittah, the myrtle and the oil tree, when treating of the nations who are not in the good of heaven and of the church, because in ignorance of truths. That they may see, and know, and consider and understand together, signifies the knowledges, understanding, perception and affection of the love of good and truth; from these significations it is evident that by the Holy One of Israel creating this is signified reformation; consequently, that to create is to reform.

[3] In the same:

"Thus saith Jehovah, thy Creator, O Jacob, and thy Former, O Israel; for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the end of the earth; even every one that is called by my name I have created for my glory, I have formed and made. I, Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King" (43:1, 6, 7, 15).

The subject here treated of is also the establishment of the church among the nations; and from their reformation, Jehovah is called creator and former; therefore it is said, "I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine." Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the end of the earth, signifies the nations that are out of the church but which receive its truths and goods from the Lord; from far, and from the end of the earth, signifying those who are out of the church, earth denoting the church, sons those who receive truths, and daughters those who receive goods; these are said to be created, formed and made for glory. Glory is the Divine truth which they receive.

[4] In David:

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a firm spirit in the midst of me" (Psalms 51:10).

To create a clean heart signifies to reform as to the good of love; to renew a firm spirit in the midst of me, signifies to reform as to the truth of faith; for heart signifies the good of love, and spirit a life according to Divine truth, which is the faith of truth.

[5] Again:

"Wherefore hast thou created the sons of man in vain? Lord, where are thy former mercies?" (Psalms 89:47, 49).

To create the sons of man signifies to reform by means of Divine truth; the sons of man are all those who are in Divine truths, thus in the abstract Divine truths themselves.

[6] Again:

"The nations shall fear the name of Jehovah, and all the kings of the earth thy glory, because Jehovah hath built up Zion; it shall be written for the generation to come; and the people which shall be created shall praise Jah" (Psalms 102:15, 16, 18).

This passage treats of reformation. By the nations which shall fear the name of Jehovah are meant those who are in good; and by the kings of the earth, those who are in truths from good. By building Zion is signified to establish the church, Zion denoting the church; by the people which shall be created and shall praise Jah, are signified all those who are reformed.

[7] Again:

"Thou givest to them, they gather; thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the faces of the earth" (Psalms 104:28, 30).

That to create here denotes to reform is evident; for by giving, and their gathering is signified that they receive the truths which are given by the Lord. By thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good is signified that they receive the good that flows from the Lord; by thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created, is signified that they are reformed as to life according to Divine truth; and by thou renewest the faces of the earth, is signified the establishment of the church.

[8] In Isaiah:

"Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by name; God from eternity; Jehovah, the creator of the ends of the earth, is not weary" (40:26, 28).

Here also reformation is treated of, which is signified by creating; by the host which Jehovah bringeth out are signified all truths and goods; by calling them all by name is signified reception according to the quality of every one; by creating the ends of the earth is signified the establishment of the church, thus the reformation of those who are therein.

[9] In Ezekiel:

"Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God, every precious stone was thy covering, in the days in which thou wast created, they were prepared. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day in which thou wast created, until perversity was found in thee" (28:13, 15).

These things are spoken of the king of Tyre, by whom are signified those who are in truths and thence in good; concerning whom it is said that they had been in the garden of God, and that every precious stone was their covering. By the garden of God is signified intelligence, and by the precious stones which are also named in the passage are signified the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good; these are called a covering, became they are in the natural man, and the natural man covers the spiritual. These are said to have been prepared in the day in which they were created, that is in the day in which they were reformed: hence it is evident what is meant by thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created.

[10] In Isaiah:

"Jehovah will create upon every dwelling of Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud by day and the shining of a flame of fire by night; for upon all the glory shall be a covering" (4:5).

By Zion is signified the church as to the Word; the internal or spiritual sense of the Word, as to good, is meant by the dwelling thereof; the external or literal sense, as to truths, is meant by the cloud by day, and as to good, by the shining of a flame of fire by night. This sense, because it covers, and is the repository of, the spiritual sense, is called a covering upon all the glory, glory denoting the spiritual sense; these are also said to be created, because they are the truths of heaven and the church.

[11] In Malachi:

"Hath not one God created us? wherefore do we act perfidiously?" (2:10).

Because by created us is signified reformed, that they might be a church, it is therefore said, "wherefore do we act perfidiously?"

[12] In Isaiah:

"Thus saith God, Jehovah, he that createth the heavens, and stretcheth them out; he that spreadeth forth the earth, giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein" (42:5).

By creating the heavens and stretching them out, and by spreading forth the earth, is signified to reform; by the heavens are signified both the heavens and the internals of the church - the internals of the church also are heavens with those who are in them; the earth signifies the externals of the church, which are said to be spread forth when truths from good are multiplied: that reformation by truths is hereby signified is evident, for it is said, "he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein."

[13] In the same:

"Jehovah, creating the heavens, forming the earth and making it. He hath not created it an emptiness, he formed it to be inhabited" (45:12, 18).

By heavens and by earth, and by creating, are signified similar things as in the passage adduced above. By not creating it an emptiness is signified that it is not without truth and good, in which they are who are reformed; the lack of these is emptiness. By he hath formed it to be inhabited, is signified that they should live according to good and truth, and from them; for to inhabit signifies to live.

[14] Again:

"Behold, I create a new heaven and a new earth. Be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create; for, behold, I am about to create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people gladness" (65:17, 18).

By creating a new heaven and a new earth are not meant the visible heaven and the habitable earth, but a new church, internal and external, heaven denoting the internal of the church, and earth its external (what the internal of the church is, and what the external, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 246); therefore it is said, "behold, I am about to create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people gladness." Jerusalem is the church, rejoicing its delight from good, and gladness its delight from truth. Similar things are signified by the new heavens and the new earth in the same prophet (66:22), and by the new heaven and the new earth in the Apocalypse (21:1).

[15] And similarly by the things in the first chapter of Genesis:

"In the beginning Jehovah created the heaven and the earth; and the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the faces of the abyss. And the spirit of God moved upon the faces of the waters. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. And God created man into his own image, into the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (1:1-3, 27).

This passage treats of the establishment of the first church on this earth; the reformation of the members of that church, as to their internal, and as to their external state, is meant by the creation of the heaven and the earth. That there was no church before, because men were without good and without truth, is signified by the earth being void and empty; and that they were then in dense ignorance and also in falsities, is signified by the darkness upon the faces of the abyss; their first enlightenment is signified by the spirit of God moving upon the faces of the waters, and by God saying, "Let there be light, and there was light." By the spirit of God is signified Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and by moving upon the faces of the waters is signified enlightenment; the same is signified by light; and by there was light is signified the reception of Divine truth. That God created man into His own image signifies that he was in the love of good and truth, and corresponded to heaven as its likeness. For the love of good and truth is an image of God, and hence also the angelic heaven is an image of God; therefore, in the sight of the Lord, it is as one man (as may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 59-67, 68-72, 73-77, 78-86, 87-102). That He created them male and female signifies that He reformed them as to truth and as to good; male, in the Word, denotes truth, and female denotes good. From these considerations it is evident that it is not the creation of heaven and earth, but the new creation and reformation of those who composed the first church, which is described in this chapter and in the following chapters; and that similar things are there meant by the creation of heaven and earth as by the creation of the new heaven and new earth in the passages above adduced.

[16] That creation in the Word signifies reformation and the establishment of the church, which is effected by the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is also evident from these words in John:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. And the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory" (1:1-5, 9, 10, 14).

By the Word is here meant the Lord as to Divine truth. That all things were created by the Divine truth is meant by these words, "all things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made"; also by these, "the world was made by him." And since by the Word is meant the Lord as to Divine truth, it is therefore said, "in him was life, and the life was the light of men; that was the true light"; light signifying Divine truth, and life all intelligence and wisdom therefrom; for this constitutes man's essential life, and life eternal is according to it. The presence of the Lord as Divine truth, with every one, from which come life and light, is meant by the light shining in darkness and enlightening every man that cometh into the world; but that those who are in the falsities of evil do not perceive, consequently, do not receive that truth, is meant by the darkness not comprehending, and by the world knowing him not; for darkness signifies the falsities of evil. That it is the Lord as to the Divine Human who is here meant by the Word is clearly manifest, for it is said, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory," glory also signifying Divine truth. (That all things were created by means of Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, which is here meant by the Word, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 137, 139; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 263). Hence also it is clear that to make or create here also signifies to make man new or to reform him; for here, as in the book of Genesis, mention is immediately made of light. (That by light is signified that proceeding Divine truth whereby all are reformed, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 126-140, and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 49).

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine # 246

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246. FROM THE ARCANA COELESTIA.

The church exists specifically where the Word is, and where the Lord is thereby known, and thus where Divine truths are revealed (n. 3857, 10761). Still they who are born where the Word is, and where the Lord is thereby known, are not of the church, but they who are regenerated by the Lord by the truths of the Word, that is, they who live the life of charity (n. 6637, 10143, 10153, 10578, 10645, 10829). They who are of the church, or in whom the church is, are in the affection of truth for the sake of truth, that is, they love truth because it is truth; and they examine from the Word whether the doctrinals of the church in which they were born are true (n. 5432, 6047). Otherwise the truth possessed by everyone would be derived from another, and from his native soil (n. 6047).

The church of the Lord is with all in the whole world who live in good according to their religious principles (n. 3263, 6637, 10765). All who live in good wherever they are, and acknowledge one God, are accepted by the Lord and come into heaven; since all who are in good acknowledge the Lord, because good is from the Lord, and the Lord is in good (n. 2589-2604, 2861, 2862, 3263, 4190, 4197, 6700, 9256). The universal church on earth before the Lord is as one man (n. 7396, 9276). As heaven is, because the church is heaven or the kingdom of the Lord on earth (n. 2853, 2996, 2998, 3624-3629, 3636-3643, 3741-3745, 4625). But the church, where the Lord is known and where the Word is, is like the heart and lungs in man in respect to the other parts of the body, which live from the heart and lungs as from the fountains of their life (n. 637, 931, 2054, 2853). Hence it is, that unless there were a church where the Word is, and where the Lord is thereby known, the human race could not be saved (n. 468, 637, 931, 4545, 10452). The church is the foundation of heaven (n. 4060).

The church is internal and external (n. 1242, 6587, 9375, 9680, 10762). The internal of the church is love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor. Thence they who are in the affection of good and truth from love to the Lord and from charity towards the neighbor, constitute the internal church; and they who are in external worship from obedience and faith, constitute the external church (n. 1083, 1098, 4288, 6380, 6587, 7840, 8762). To know truth and good, and to act from thence, is the external of the church, but to will and love truth and good, and to act from thence, is the internal of the church (n. 4899, 6775). The internal of the church is in the worship of those who are of the external church, although in obscurity (n. 6775). The internal and external church make one church (n. 409, 10762). Man has an internal and an external, an internal after the image of heaven, and an external after the image of the world; and therefore, in order that the man may be a church, his external must act in unity with his internal (n. 3628, 4523-4524, 6057, 6314, 9706, 10472). The church is in the internal of man and at the same time in the external, but not in the external without the internal (n. 1795[1-2], 6580, 10691). The internal of the church is according to truths and their quality, and according to their implantation in good by life (n. 1238).

The church like heaven is in man, and thus the church in general consists of the men in whom the church is (n. 3884). In order that a church may exist, there must be the doctrine of life, that is, the doctrine of charity (n. 3445, 10763-10764). Charity makes the church, and not faith separated from charity (n. 916). Consequently, not the doctrine of faith separated from charity, but the doctrine of faith conjoined therewith, and a life conformable to it (n. 809, 1798-1799, 1834, 1844, 4468, 4672, 4689, 4766, 5826, 6637). The church is not with man, unless the truths of doctrine are implanted in the good of charity with him, thus in the life (n. 3310, 3963, 5826). There is no church with man, if he is only in the truths, which are called the truths of faith (n. 5826). How much good would be in the church, if charity were in the first place and faith in the second (n. 6269). And how much evil, if faith is in the first place (n. 6272). In the ancient churches charity was the principal and essential of the church (n. 4680). The church would be like heaven, if all had charity (n. 2385, 2853). If good were the characteristic of the church, and not truth without good, thus if charity were its characteristic, and not faith separate, the church would be one, and differences with respect to the doctrinals of faith, and external worship, would be accounted as nothing (n. 1285, 1316, 2982, 3267, 3445, 3451).

Every church begins from charity, but declines therefrom in process of time (n. 494, 501, 1327, 3773, 4689). Thus to falsities from evil, and at length to evils (n. 1834-1835, 2910, 4683, 4689). A comparison of the church at its beginning and decline with the infancy and old age of man (n. 10134). And also with the rising and the setting of the sun (n. 1837). Concerning the successive states of the Christian Church even to its last state; wherein are explained the particulars which the Lord foretold concerning "the consummation of the age," and His "coming," in Matt. chap. 24 from the beginning to the end (n. 3353-3356, 3486-3489, 3650-3655, 3751-3757, 1 3897-3901, 4057-4060, 4229-4231, 4332-4335, 4422-4424, 4635-4638, 4807-4810, 4954-4959, 5063-5071). The Christian church is at this day in its last states, there being no faith therein because there is no charity (n. 3489, 4689). The Last Judgment is the last time of the church (n. 2118, 3353, 4057, 4333, 4535). Of the vastation of the church (n. 407-411). The consummation of the age and the coming of the Lord is the last time of the old church and the beginning of the new (n. 2243, 4535, 10622). When the old church is vastated, interior truths are revealed for the service of the new church which is then established (n. 3398, 3786). Concerning the establishment of the church with the Gentiles (n. 1366, 2986, 4747, 9256).

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. The printed version has 3571, a transposition of numbers in the Latin.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.

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Arcana Coelestia # 4197

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4197. 'And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and you today; therefore he called its name Galeed' means that it will be so for ever - hence the nature of it is described a second time. This is clear from the meaning of 'a heap' as good, dealt with above in 4192, and from the meaning of 'a witness' as the confirmation of good by means of truth, and of truth derived from good, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'today' as for ever, dealt with in 2838, 3998; and from the meaning of 'calling the name' as the essential nature, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 2009, 2724, 3421. The particular nature of that good is contained in the name Galeed; for in ancient times when a name was given to anything the name contained the essential nature of that thing, 340, 1946, 2643, 3422. From this one may see what is meant by 'Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and you today; therefore he called its name Galeed', namely this: A testimony that the good meant here by 'Laban' was joined to the Divine good of the Lord's Natural, and therefore that the Lord was joined to the gentiles through good, it being this good that 'Laban' represents now, 4189. The truths belonging to this good are what bear witness to that conjunction; but as long as gentiles are living in this world their good is 'out of line' because they do not possess Divine truths. Nevertheless although those who are governed by that good, that is, who lead charitable lives with one another, do not have Divine truths straight from the Divine source, that is, from the Word, the good they have is not closed up but such as can be opened. What is more, it is opened in the next life when they receive instruction there in the truths of faith, and about the Lord. With Christians it is different. With those of them who lead charitable lives with one another, more so with those who are governed by love to the Lord, good straight from the Divine source is present even while they live in this world because they are in possession of Divine truths. For this reason they enter heaven without undergoing such instruction, provided that their truths have not contained falsities which must first be dispelled. But Christians who have not led charitable lives close heaven against themselves, very many doing so to such an extent that it cannot be opened. For they know truths but deny them and also harden themselves against them, if not with the lips nevertheless in their hearts.

[2] Why Laban first of all called the heap Jegar Sahadutha, its name in his own language, and after that Galeed, its name in the Canaanite language, when in fact the two have practically the same meaning, is for the sake of a bringing together and thereby a joining together. Speaking in the language or 'lip' of Canaan means responding to what is Divine, for 'Canaan' means the Lord's kingdom, and in the highest sense the Lord, 1607, 3038, 3705, as is evident in Isaiah,

On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt which speak in the lip of Canaan and swear by Jehovah Zebaoth. On that day there will be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Jehovah at its border; and it will be for a sign and a witness to Jehovah Zebaoth in the land of Egypt. Isaiah 19:18-20.

[3] The meaning of 'a witness' as the confirmation of good by means of truth, and of truth derived from good, and the consequent meaning of 'a testimony' as good in which truth is rooted, and truth which arises out of good, may be seen from other parts of the Word. 'A witness' is seen to mean the confirmation of good by means of truth, and of truth derived from good, from the following places: In Joshua,

Joshua said to the people, You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen Jehovah, to serve Him. And they said, We are witnesses. Then put away the foreigner's gods which are in the midst of you, and incline your heart to Jehovah the God of Israel. And the people said to Joshua, Jehovah our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey. And Joshua made a covenant with the people on that day, and set them a statute and a judgement in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone and set it up there under the oak that was in the sanctuary of Jehovah. And Joshua said to all the people, Behold, this stone will be a witness to us, for it has heard all the words of Jehovah which He spoke to us; and it will be a witness to you, lest you deny your God. Joshua 24:22-27.

'A witness' in this passage clearly means a confirming - a confirming of the covenant and therefore of their being joined [to Jehovah]; for a covenant means a joining together, 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021. And since being joined to Jehovah or the Lord is not possible except through good, and since no good effecting that conjunction is possible apart from that which gains its true nature from truth, 'a witness' consequently means the confirmation of good by means of truth. The good meant in this passage consisted in being joined to Jehovah or the Lord, which came about through their choosing Him, to serve Him; and the truth by which it was confirmed was meant by 'the stone'; for 'a stone' means truth, see 643, 1298, 3720. In the highest sense 'the stone' is the Lord Himself since He is the source of all truth, and for that reason is also called 'the Stone of Israel' in Genesis 49:24, and in what is said here in Joshua, 'Behold, this stone will be a witness to us, for it has heard all the words of Jehovah which He spoke to us'.

[4] In John,

I will grant My two witnesses to prophesy 1260 days, clothed in sackcloth. The are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which are standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wishes to harm them, fire will come out of their mouth and devour their enemies. These have power to shut heaven. But when they have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends from the abyss will make war with them and conquer them and kill them. But after three and a half days the spirit of life from God entered them, so that they stood up on their feet. Revelation 11:3-7, 11.

'The two witnesses' in this case are good and truth - that is, good in which truth is present and truth arising out of good - when both of these have been confirmed in people's hearts, as is evident from the statement that the two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands. For 'an olive tree' means that kind of good, see 886, and 'the two olive trees' stands for celestial good and for spiritual good. Celestial good is essentially love to the Lord, spiritual good is essentially charity towards the neighbour. 'The lampstands' are the truths that belong to those two kinds of good, as will be clear when, in the Lord's Divine mercy, the lampstands are the subject. And it is these - forms of goodness and truth - which have the power to close heaven or to open it; see the Preface to Chapter 22. 'The beast out of the abyss, which is hell, will kill them' means the vastation of good and truth within the Church, and 'the spirit of life from God entered them, so that they stood up on their feet' means a new Church.

[5] Just as heaps in ancient times were set up to serve as witnesses, so later on were altars, as is clear in Joshua,

The Reubenites and the Gadites said, See the replica of the altar of Jehovah which our fathers made, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you. And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called it The Altar - a witness between us that Jehovah is God. Joshua 22:28, 34.

'An altar' means the good of love, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself, 921, 2777, 2811. 'A witness' stands in the internal sense for the confirmation of good by means of truth.

[6] Since 'a witness' means the confirmation of good by means of truth, and of truth derived from good, 'a witness' in the highest sense therefore means the Lord, for He Himself is the Divine Truth that confirms, as in Isaiah,

I will make with you an eternal covenant, even the true mercies of David. Lo, I have given him as a witness to the peoples, a prince and teacher to the peoples. Isaiah 55:3-4.

In John,

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Revelation 1:5.

In the same book,

These things says the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. Revelation 3:14.

[7] The requirement in the representative Church that the truth must always be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses, not on that of one, Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6-7; 19:15; Matthew 18:16, originates in the Divine Law that one truth does not make good firm but many truths do so. For one truth unconnected to others does not confirm it only a number together, because from one truth it is possible to see another. One by itself does not give any form to good, and so does not manifest any essential quality possessed by good; but many in a connected series do so. For just as one musical note by itself does not constitute the melody, still less the full harmony, neither does one truth achieve anything. This is where the law requiring two or three witnesses originates, though to outward appearance it seems to have its origin in secular legislation. The one however is not contrary to the other, as is also the case with the Ten Commandments, dealt with in 2609.

[8] As regards 'a testimony' meaning good in which truth is rooted, and truth which arises out of good, this follows from what has just been said. It is also clear from the fact that the Ten Commandments written on tablets of stone are referred to by the single expression 'the Testimony', as in Moses,

Jehovah gave Moses, when He had finished speaking to him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. Exodus 31:18.

In the same author,

Moses came down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand; the tablets were written from the two sides of it. Exodus 32:15.

And because those tablets were placed inside the Ark, the Ark is called 'the Ark of the Testimony'; in Moses,

Jehovah said to Moses, You shall put into the Ark the Testimony which I shall give to you. Exodus 25:16, 21.

Moses took the Testimony and put it into the Ark. Exodus 40:20.

In the same author,

I will meet you, and talk to you from above the Mercy-seat, from between the two cherubs which are over the Ark of the Testimony. Exodus 25:22.

In the same author,

The cloud of incense covers the Mercy-seat which is over the Testimony. Leviticus 16:13.

In the same author,

The rods of the twelve tribes were left in the Tent of Meeting, in front of the Testimony. Numbers 17:4.

For evidence that the Ark was also called the Ark of the Testimony, see in addition to Exodus 25:22 quoted above, Exodus 31:7; Revelation 15:5.

[9] The Ten Commandments therefore were called the Testimony because they were the conditions of the covenant and so the conditions whereby God and man were joined to each other. But that joining to each other is not possible unless man keeps those commandments not only in their external form but also in their internal. What the internal form of those commandments is, see 2609; consequently it is good made firm by means of truth, and truth derived from good, that are meant by 'the Testimony'. And this being so, the tablets were also called 'the Tablets of the Covenant', and the Ark 'the Ark of the Covenant'. From this one may now see what is meant in the Word by 'the Testimony' in the genuine sense, for example in Deuteronomy 4:45; 6:17, 20; Isaiah 8:16; 2 Kings 17:15; Psalms 19:7; 25:10; 78:5, 56; 93:5; 119:2, 22, 24, 59, 79, 88, 138, 167; 122:4; Revelation 6:9; 12:17; 19:10.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.