3063. And do mercy. That this signifies an influx of love is evident from the essence of mercy, as being love. Love is itself turned to mercy and becomes mercy when anyone who is in need of help is regarded from love or charity; hence mercy is the effect of love toward the needy and miserable. But here by “mercy” in the internal sense is meant love; and by “doing mercy” is meant an influx of love, because it is from the Lord’s Divine Itself into His Divine Human; for it was the Lord’s Divine love through which He made His Human Divine; for love is the very being of life, and no one has Divine love but the Lord.

(See what has been said before concerning the Lord’s love, namely: That His life was love toward the universal human race, n. 2253: That from this love He fought, n. 1690, 1789, 1812, 1813, 1820: That it transcends all understanding, n. 1799, 2077: That the Lord is Divine love itself, n. 2077, 2500, 2572: That “Jehovah” is love, n. 1735: That nothing lives but love, n. 1589: That whoever has mutual love has the Lord’s life, n. 1799, 1802, 1803: That love and charity are the celestial itself, n. 1419, 1824)

1803. But he that shall go forth out of thy bowels. That this signifies those who are in love to the Lord and in love toward the neighbor, is evident from the signification of “bowels,” and of “going forth out of the bowels,” which is to be born; and here it means those who are being born of the Lord. They who are being born of the Lord, that is, who are being regenerated, receive the Lord’s life. The Lord’s life, as before said, is the Divine love, that is, love toward the whole human race; or His will to eternally save, if possible, the whole of it, or all men. They who have not the Lord’s love, that is, who do not love the neighbor as themselves, never have the Lord’s life, and therefore are never born of Him, that is, have not “come forth out of His bowels;” and therefore they cannot be heirs of His kingdom.

[2] From which it is evident that by “to go forth out of the bowels,” in the internal sense, are here signified those that are in love to Him and in love toward the neighbor. So in Isaiah:

Thus said Jehovah thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am Jehovah thy God, who teacheth thee to profit, who leadeth thee in the way that thou shouldest walk. Oh that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments, and thy peace had been as a river, and thy righteousness as the billows of the sea, and thy seed had been as the sand, and those who go forth out of thy bowels as the gravel thereof (Isaiah 48:17-19).

The “seed as the sand,” denotes good; and “those who go forth out of the bowels as the gravel,” truth; thus those who have love, for these alone are in the love of good and truth.

[3] Moreover, in the Word “bowels” signify love or mercy for the reason that the bowels of generation, especially the mother’s womb, represent and thus signify chaste conjugial love, and the love for children that is derived from it. As in Isaiah:

The stirring of Thy bowels and of Thy compassions toward me have restrained themselves (Isaiah 63:15).

In Jeremiah:

Is not Ephraim a dear son onto Me? Is he not a child of delights? Therefore My bowels are troubled for him; in mercy I will have mercy upon him (Jeremiah 31:20).

[4] It is evident from this that the Lord’s love itself, or mercy itself, and compassion toward the human race, are what are signified in the internal sense by “bowels,” and by “going forth out of the bowels;” consequently by “them that go forth out of the bowels” are signified those who have love. (That the Lord’s kingdom is mutual love, may be seen above, n. 548, 549, 684, 693, 694.)