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1 Και οτε ητο ο Αβραμ ενενηκοντα εννεα ετων, εφανη ο Κυριος εις τον Αβραμ και ειπε προς αυτον, Εγω ειμαι Θεος ο Παντοκρατωρ· περιπατει ενωπιον μου, και εσο τελειος.

2 Και θελω στησει την διαθηκην μου αναμεσον εμου και σου· και θελω σε πληθυνει σφοδρα σφοδρα.

3 Και επεσεν ο Αβραμ επι προσωπον αυτου· και ελαλησε προς αυτον ο Θεος, λεγων,

4 Εγω, ιδου, η διαθηκη μου ειναι προς σε· και θελεις γεινει πατηρ πληθους εθνων·

5 και δεν θελει καλεισθαι πλεον το ονομα σου Αβραμ, αλλα το ονομα σου θελει εισθαι Αβρααμ· διοτι πατερα πληθους εθνων σε κατεστησα·

6 και θελω σε αυξησει σφοδρα σφοδρα, και θελω σε καταστησει εις εθνη, και βασιλεις θελουσιν εξελθει εκ σου·

7 και θελω στησει την διαθηκην μου αναμεσον εμου και σου, και του σπερματος σου μετα σε εις τας γενεας αυτων, εις διαθηκην αιωνιον, δια να ημαι Θεος εις σε και εις το σπερμα σου μετα σε·

8 και θελω δωσει εις σε, και εις το σπερμα σου μετα σε, την γην της παροικιας σου, πασαν την γην Χανααν, εις κατασχεσιν αιωνιον· και θελω εισθαι ο Θεος αυτων.

9 Και ειπεν ο Θεος προς τον Αβρααμ, συ δε την διαθηκην μου θελεις φυλαξει, συ και το σπερμα σου μετα σε εις τας γενεας αυτων.

10 Αυτη ειναι η διαθηκη μου την οποιαν θελετε φυλαξει, αναμεσον εμου και υμων και του σπερματος σου μετα σε· παν αρσεν υμων θελει περιτεμνεσθαι.

11 Και θελετε περιτεμνει την σαρκα της ακροβυστιας υμων, και θελει εισθαι εις σημειον της διαθηκης μεταξυ εμου και υμων·

12 και παιδιον οκτω ημερων θελει περιτεμνεσθαι μεταξυ σας, παν αρσεν εις τας γενεας υμων ο γεγεννημενος εν τη οικια, και ο αργυρωνητος εκ παντος ξενου, οστις δεν ειναι εκ του σπερματος σου·

13 θελει εξαπαντος περιτεμνεσθαι ο γεγεννημενος εν τη οικια σου, και ο αργυρωνητος σου· και θελει εισθαι η διαθηκη μου επι της σαρκος υμων εις διαθηκην αιωνιον·

14 και το απεριτμητον αρσεν, του οποιου δεν ηθελε περιτμηθη η σαρξ της ακροβυστιας αυτου, η ψυχη εκεινη θελει εξολοθρευθη εκ μεσου του λαου αυτης· την διαθηκην μου παρεβη.

15 Και ειπεν ο Θεος προς τον Αβρααμ, Σαραν την γυναικα σου, δεν θελεις καλεσει πλεον το ονομα αυτης Σαραν, αλλα Σαρρα θελει εισθαι το ονομα αυτης.

16 Και θελω ευλογησει αυτην, και θελω προσετι δωσει εις σε υιον εξ αυτης· και θελω ευλογησει αυτην, και θελει γεινει μητηρ εθνων· βασιλεις λαων θελουσιν εξελθει εξ αυτης.

17 Και επεσεν ο Αβρααμ επι προσωπον αυτου και εγελασε, και ειπεν εν τη καρδια αυτου, Εις ανθρωπον εκατονταετη θελει γεννηθη τεκνον; και η Σαρρα, γυνη ενενηκοντα ετων, θελει γεννησει;

18 Και ειπεν ο Αβρααμ προς τον Θεον, Ειθε ο Ισμαηλ να ζηση ενωπιον σου

19 Και ειπεν ο Θεος, Ναι η γυνη σου Σαρρα θελει γεννησει υιον εις σε, και θελεις καλεσει το ονομα αυτου Ισαακ· και θελω στησει την διαθηκην μου προς αυτον εις διαθηκην αιωνιον, και προς το σπερμα αυτου μετ' αυτον·

20 περι δε του Ισμαηλ σου εισηκουσα· Ιδου, ευλογησα αυτον, και θελω αυξησει αυτον, και θελω πληθυνει αυτον σφοδρα σφοδρα· δωδεκα αρχοντας θελει γεννησει, και θελω καμει αυτον εθνος μεγα·

21 αλλα την διαθηκην μου θελω στησει προς τον Ισαακ, τον οποιον θελει γεννησει η Σαρρα εις σε το ερχομενον ετος, εν τω αυτω τουτω καιρω.

22 Αφου δε ετελειωσε να λαλη μετ' αυτου, ανεβη ο Θεος απο του Αβρααμ.

23 Και ελαβεν ο Αβρααμ Ισμαηλ τον υιον αυτου, και παντας τους γεγεννημενους εν τη οικια αυτου, και παντας τους αργυρωνητους αυτου, παν αρσεν των ανθρωπων της οικιας του Αβρααμ, και περιετεμε την σαρκα της ακροβυστιας αυτων την αυτην εκεινην ημεραν, καθως ειπε προς αυτον ο Θεος.

24 Ο δε Αβρααμ ητο ενενηκοντα εννεα ετων, οτε περιετμηθη την σαρκα της ακροβυστιας αυτου.

25 Ισμαηλ δε ο υιος αυτου ητο δεκατριων ετων, οτε περιετμηθη την σαρκα της ακροβυστιας αυτου.

26 την αυτην εκεινην ημεραν περιετμηθη ο Αβρααμ, και Ισμαηλ ο υιος αυτου·

27 και παντες οι ανθρωποι της οικιας αυτου, οι γεγεννημενοι εν τη οικια, και οι εξ αλλογενων αργυρωνητοι περιετμηθησαν μετ' αυτου.

   

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Arcana Coelestia #2009

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2009. That 'no longer will your name be called Abram' means that He will cast off the human, and that 'your name will be Abraham' means that He will put on the Divine, is clear from the meaning of 'name', also from the meaning of 'Abram', and after that of 'Abraham'. When the phrase 'your name will be' is used in the Word it means the nature of, that is, what a person's nature is going to be like, as is clear from what has been brought forward in Volume One, in 144, 145, 1754. And since 'names means the nature of, a name includes everything in its entirety within that person, for in heaven no attention is paid to someone's name, but when anyone is referred to by name, or when a name is used, a mental picture of his nature comes up, that is, of all that is his, with him and in him. This is why 'name' in the Word means the nature of. To make this matter clearer to the understanding let further confirmatory quotations from the Word be introduced, such as in the Blessing in Moses,

Jehovah bless you and keep you; Jehovah make His face 1 shine upon you and be merciful to you; Jehovah lift up His face 1 upon you and give you peace.

So shall they put My name upon the sons of Israel. Numbers 6:24-27.

From this it is evident what 'name' and 'putting Jehovah's name upon the sons of Israel' means, namely that Jehovah blesses, keeps, enlightens, is merciful, and gives peace, and that such is Jehovah's or the Lord's nature.

[2] In the Ten Commandments,

You shall not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain, for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless who has taken His name in vain. Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11.

Here taking God's name in vain does not mean His name but every single thing deriving from Him, and so every single thing belonging to the worship of Him, which must not be treated with disdain, still less be blasphemed and defiled by what is filthy. In the Lord's Prayer,

Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, as in heaven so on earth. Luke 11:2.

Nor in this instance is 'name' used to mean name but all things that belong to love and faith, for these are God's, or the Lord's, and derive from Him. Since the latter are holy, the Lord's kingdom comes, and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven, when they are upheld as being holy.

[3] That 'name' means such things is clear from all the places in the Old Testament Word and in the New where the word 'name' is used, as in Isaiah,

You will say on that day, Confess Jehovah, call on His name, make His deeds known among the peoples, make mention that His name is exalted. Isaiah 12:4.

Here 'calling on the name of Jehovah' and 'making mention that it is exalted' does not in any way mean making the name itself an object of worship, or believing that Jehovah is called on by the mere uttering of His name, but by knowing His nature, and so every single thing that derives from Him. In the same prophet,

Therefore in the Urim give honour to Jehovah, in the isles of the sea to the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel. Isaiah 24:15.

Here 'in the Urim give honour to Jehovah' means worship based on the holy things of love, 'in the isles of the sea to the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel' worship based on the holy things of faith.

[4] In the same prophet,

Jehovah our God, in You alone will we make mention of Your name. Isaiah 26:13.

And in the same prophet,

I will stir up one from the north, and he will come, from the rising of the sun he will call on My name. Isaiah 41:25.

Here 'making mention of' and 'calling on the name of Jehovah' is worshipping from the goods of love and the truths of faith. Those 'from the north' are people outside the Church who do not know the name of Jehovah but who do nevertheless call on His name when they are leading charitable lives one with another and venerate some deity as the Creator of the universe, for it is the worship and what constitutes it, not the name, that calling on Jehovah entails. That the Lord is also present with gentiles, see 932, 1032, 1059.

[5] In the same prophet,

The nations will see your righteousness and all the kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name which the mouth of Jehovah will announce. Isaiah 62:2.

Here 'you will be called by a new name' stands for becoming a different person, that is to say, as a result of being created anew or regenerated, and so stands for becoming such. In Micah,

All the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God for ever and eternally. Micah 4:5.

'Walking in the name of its god' clearly stands for worship that is profane, while 'walking in the name of Jehovah' stands for true worship. In Malachi,

From the rising of the sun and even to its setting, great is My name among the nations; and in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure minchah, for great is My name among the nations. Malachi 1:11.

Here 'name' is not used to mean the name but the worship; and this worship is the essential nature of Jehovah or the Lord, from which He wills to be adored.

[6] In Moses,

The place which Jehovah your God chooses out of all the tribes to put His name there, and to make His name dwell there, to that place shall you bring all that I am commanding you. Deuteronomy 12:5, 11, 14; 16:2, 6, 11.

Here also 'putting His name' and 'making His name dwell there' do not mean the name but the worship, and so Jehovah's or the Lord's essential nature from which He is to be worshipped. His nature consists in the good of love and the truth of faith, it being with those who are governed by such good and truth that Jehovah's name dwells. In Jeremiah,

Go to My place which is in Shiloh where I made My name dwell at first. Jeremiah 7:12.

Here similarly 'name' stands for worship, and so for doctrine concerning true faith. It may become clear to anyone that Jehovah does not dwell with somebody who merely knows and utters His name, for without any conception and recognition of His essential nature, and without any belief in it, the name by itself is a mere verbal expression. From this it is evident that the word 'name' means the nature of, and the knowledge of that nature.

[7] In Moses,

At that time Jehovah set apart the tribe of Levi to serve Him and to bless in His name. Deuteronomy 10:8.

Here 'blessing in the name of Jehovah' is doing so not by means of the name but by means of those qualities associated with the name of Jehovah which have been referred to above. In Jeremiah,

This is His name which they will call Him, Jehovah our righteousness. Jeremiah 23:6.

Here 'name' stands for the righteousness which is the essential nature of the Lord, to whom these words refer. In Isaiah,

Jehovah called Me from the womb, from My mother's body 2 He made mention of My name. Isaiah 49:1.

These words too refer to the Lord. 'Making mention of His name' is informing about His essential nature.

[8] That 'name' means the nature of is plainer still in John's Revelation,

You have a few names in Sardis, who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who conquers will be clad in white garments and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; and I will confess his name before My father and before the angels. He who conquers I will write on him the name of God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. Revelation 3:4-5, 12.

Here it is quite clear that name does not mean the name but the essential nature of him who conquers. 'The name in the book of life' is nothing else. Nor is 'confessing his name before My Father', and 'writing on him the name of God and of the city, and a new name'. The same applies elsewhere to the names which are said to have been written in the book of life and in heaven, Revelation 13:8; 17:8; Luke 10:20.

[9] In heaven one person is always recognized from another by his nature or character, which is expressed in the sense of the letter as 'the name', as may also become clear to anyone from the fact that on earth the mention of anybody's name presents to another a mental picture of his nature or character by which he is known and distinguished from anyone else. In the next life those mental pictures survive but names perish. More especially is this so with angels. This is why in the internal sense 'name' means the essential nature of, or the knowledge of that nature. In the same book,

On the head of Him who sat on the white horse were many jewels. He has a name written which no one knows but He Himself. He was clad in a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. Revelation 19:12-13.

Here it is stated openly that His 'name' is The Word of God, thus the essential nature of Him who sat on the white horse.

[10] The fact that the name of Jehovah means the knowledge of His nature, that is to say, it means every good of love and every truth of faith, is quite clear from these words spoken by the Lord,

Righteous Father, I have known You, and these too have known that You have sent Me, for I made known to them Your name, and I will make it known that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them. John 17:25-26.

[11] And that the name of God or of the Lord means the whole doctrine of faith concerning love and charity, which is meant by 'believing in His name', is clear from these words in the same gospel,

As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His name. John 1:12.

If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:13-15.

Whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give it to you. These things I command you, that you love one another. John 15:16-17.

In Matthew,

Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20.

Here 'being gathered together in the Lord's name' means those who possess the doctrine of faith concerning love and charity, and so who are governed by love and charity.

[12] In the same gospel,

You will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. Matthew 10:22; 24:9-10; Mark 13:13.

Here 'for My name's sake' clearly stands for doctrine's sake. The fact that a name itself is of no avail, only that which the name embodies, that is to say, everything constituting charity and faith, is quite clear from the following in Matthew,

Did we not prophesy through Your name, and cast out demons through Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name? And then I will confess to them, I do not know you; depart from Me, you workers of iniquity. Matthew 7:22-23.

From this it is clear that people who make worship consist in a name, as Jews do in the name of Jehovah and Christians in the name of the Lord, are not on that account worthier than any others, for the name is of no avail. But they are worthier when their characters conform to what He has commanded; and this is the meaning of 'believing in His name'. And when they say that there is salvation in no other name than the Lord's they mean in no other doctrine, that is, in none other than mutual love, which is the true doctrine of faith, and so in none other than the Lord since all love comes from Him alone, and all faith from that love.

Fußnoten:

1. literally, faces

2. literally, viscera

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