2777. Upon one of the mountains. That this signifies the Divine Love, is evident from the signification of a “mountain,” as being love (see n. 795, 796, 1430); here, the Divine Love, because it is predicated of the Lord; and what the quality of this love is, may be seen above (n. 1690, 1691 at the end, 1789, 1812, 1820, 2077, 2253, 2500, 2572). As it was the Divine Love from which the Lord fought in temptations and conquered, and by which He sanctified and glorified Himself, it is here said to Abraham that he should offer up Isaac for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains in the land of Moriah. This representative is elucidated by the fact that an altar was built by David, and the temple was built by Solomon, upon the mountain of Moriah (n. 2775); for the altar upon which burnt-offerings and sacrifices were offered, was the principal representative of the Lord, as was afterwards the temple. That the altar was so may be seen above (n. 921); and it is evident in David:

Let them bring me to the mountain of Thy holiness, and to Thy tabernacles; and I will go unto the altar of God, unto God, the gladness of my joy (Psalms 43:3-4

That the temple was so too, is evident in John:

Jesus said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. He spake of the temple of His body (John 2:19, 21).

1430. When he went forth out of Haran. That this signifies an obscure state of the Lord, like that of man’s childhood, is evident from the signification of “Haran” in the preceding chapter, whither Terah first came with Abram, and where Terah the father of Abram died,(Genesis 11:31-32); and also from what follows, in that Jacob went to Haran, where Laban dwelt (Genesis 27:43; 28:10; 29:4). Haran was a region where worship was external; and indeed, as regards Terah, Abram, and Laban, it was idolatrous; yet in the internal sense the same is not signified as in the external, but only something that is obscure. When from the external sense we pass to the internal the idea of idolatry does not remain, but is wiped away, just as the idea of holy love arises from the mention of a mountain (see n. 795 passing from the external sense to the internal, the idea of a mountain first perishes, and there remains the idea of height, and by height is represented holiness. So in all other cases.