2540. Abimelech rose early in the morning. That this signifies clear perception, and the light of confirmation from celestial good, is evident from the signification of “rising in the morning,” also of “Abimelech,” and also of “early.” What “morning” signifies has been shown above (n. 2333, 2405): that it is here clear perception is manifest in itself, as well as from the series; that the perception was at first obscure (n. 2513, 2514); and that afterwards it was less obscure (n. 2528). That “Abimelech” signifies the doctrine of faith looking to rational things, may be seen above (n. 2509, 2510); and what “early” signifies is manifest from the signification of “morning.” As it is here said that he “rose early in the morning,” this not only signifies clear perception, but also the light of confirmation from celestial good; for it is celestial good from which comes the confirming light of truth; all of which shows that this is the signification.

[2] The reason why the perception which the Lord had when in the Human, and His thought concerning what is rational in the doctrine of faith, are so much treated of in the internal sense, is that which has been stated above; as well as that it is angelic to think with distinctiveness of various things concerning the Lord’s life in the world, and how He put off the human rational, and made the rational Divine from His own power; and at the same time concerning the doctrine of charity and faith, such as it is when the rational mixes itself with it; besides many more things dependent on these, which are interior things of the church and of man. To the man whose mind and heart are set upon worldly and corporeal things, these things appear as unimportant, and perchance as of no advantage to him; yet to the angels, whose minds and hearts are set upon celestial and spiritual things, these same things are precious; and their ideas and perceptions respecting them are ineffable. This shows that very many things which seem unimportant to man, because they transcend his comprehension, are held in the highest estimation by the angels, because they enter into the light of their wisdom; and on the other hand, things that are most highly esteemed by man, because they are of the world, and therefore come within his comprehension, are unimportant to the angels, for they pass outside of the light of their wisdom. And such is the case with the internal sense of the Word, relatively to angels and to men, in many places.

764. IV. This night is followed by morning, and morning is the Lord's coming.

The succeeding states of the church in general and in particular are described in the Word by the four seasons of the year, spring, summer, autumn and winter, and by the four times of day, morning, midday, evening and night. Since the present-day Christian church is in night, it follows that morning is at hand, that is, the first state of a new church. It can be established from the following passages that successive states of the church are described in the Word by the four periods of daylight:

Until the evening and the morning, two thousand three hundred [days], then will the holy place be made holy ¹ . The vision of the evening and the morning is truth, Daniel 8:14, 26.

One is calling to me from Seir, Watchman, what of the night? The watchman says, The morning is coming, and night again, Isaiah 21:11-12.

The end has come, the morning has come upon you, you that dwell in the land. Look, the day has come, the morning has gone forth, Ezekiel 7:6-7, 10.

Jehovah morning by morning will set His judgment in light, nor will He fail, Zephaniah 3:5. God is in her midst, God will help her when morning breaks, Psalms 46:5.

I have waited for Jehovah, my soul waits for the Lord more than those that watch for the morning, those that watch for the morning. For with Him is a wealth of redemption, and He will redeem Israel, Psalms 130:5-8.

[2] In these passages evening and night mean the final period of the church, morning its first period. The Lord Himself is also called the morning in the following passages:

The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel talked to me. He is like the light of morning, a morning without clouds. 2 Samuel 23:3-4.

I am the root and offspring of David, the bright star of morning, Revelation 22:16.

From the womb of the dawn the dew of your youth is on you, Psalms 110:3.

These things are said of the Lord. It was because the Lord is the morning that He also rose from the tomb in the early morning, so as to begin a new church (Mark 16:2, 9).

[3] The Lord's coming is to be awaited, as is plainly established by His prediction of it in Matthew:

When Jesus was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him, saying, Tell us, what is the sign of your coming and of the ending of the age? Matthew 24:3.

After the affliction of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will the sign of the Son of Man appear, and they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory, Matthew 24:29-30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27.

As were the days of Noah, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Therefore be ready, for at the time you do not expect, the Son of Man will come, Matthew 24:37, 39, 44, 46.

In Luke:

When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith upon the earth? Luke 18:8.

In John:

Jesus said of John, If I want him to stay until I come... John 21:22-23.

[4] In the Acts of the Apostles:

When they saw Jesus lifted up into heaven, two men stood before them in white clothing, and they said, Jesus who has been lifted up from you into heaven, will come like this, as you have seen him going into heaven, Acts of the Apostles 1:9-11.

In Revelation:

The Lord, the God of the holy prophets, has sent His angel to show His servants what must happen. Behold, I am coming. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy ² of this book. And behold, I am coming, and my reward is with me, so that I may give to each according to what he has done, Revelation 22:6-7, 12.

Further:

I, Jesus, have sent my angel to bear witness of these things to you in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright star of the morning. The spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him who hears say, Come. And let him who is thirsty come; and let whoever will, take the water of life without payment. Rev:16-17.

Further:

He who bears witness to these things says, I am coming indeed. Amen, come indeed, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen, Revelation 22:20-21.

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