2669. Also the son of the handmaid I will make a nation. That this signifies the spiritual church which was to receive the good of faith, is evident from the signification of the “son of the handmaid,” and also of a “nation.” The son of the handmaid, or Ishmael, when he was in Abraham’s house, or with Abraham, represented the Lord’s first rational, as shown above (n. 2652, 2653, 2657, 2658); but now, when separated, he puts on another representation, namely, that of the spiritual church (n. 2666); in the same manner as did Lot before, who while with Abraham represented the Lord’s external man (n. 1428, 1429, 1434, 1547, 1597, 1598, 1698); but when separated from Abraham represented the external church, and the many states of that church (n. 2324, 2371, 2399, 2422, 2459; and in the whole of the nineteenth chapter of Genesis). That a “nation” signifies good may be seen above (n. 1159, 1258-1260, 1416, 1849); here the good of faith, because it is predicated of the spiritual church. Hence now “also the son of the handmaid I will make a nation” signifies the spiritual church which was to receive the good of faith, that is, charity.

[2] The Lord’s kingdom in the heavens and on earth is celestial and spiritual; and the angels are therefore distinguished into celestial and spiritual (see n. 202, 337). To the celestial angels the Lord appears as a Sun, and to the spiritual as a Moon (n. 1053, 1521, 1529-1531). In the same manner are men distinguished into celestial and spiritual. They who were of the Most Ancient Church, which was before the flood, were celestial (treated of n. 607, 608, 780, 895, 920, 1114-1125); but they who were of the Ancient Church, which was after the flood, were spiritual (treated of n. 609, 640, 641, 765). What the difference between these churches was, may be seen above (n. 597, 607); also what the difference is between what is celestial and what is spiritual (n. 81, 1155, 1577, 1824, 2048, 2069, 2088, 2227, 2507).

[3] The celestial are they of whom the Lord says:

He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out; and when He hath led out His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice (John 10:3-4).

But the spiritual are they of whom He says:

And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, and one shepherd (John 10:1 (John 10:3-4)10:16).

The good of love is what makes the celestial church, but the good of faith is what makes the spiritual church. The truth of faith does not make, but introduces.

2658. For the son of this handmaid shall not inherit with my son, with Isaac. That this signifies that the merely human rational could not have a life in common with the Divine rational itself, either as to good or as to truth, is evident from the signification of “inheriting,” as being to have another’s life (to be explained presently); from the signification of the “son of the handmaid,” as being the merely human rational as to truth and as to good (see n. 2657); from the signification of “my son Isaac,” as being the Divine rational as to truth (which is “my son”), and as to good (which is “Isaac”), concerning whic h see n. 2623, 2630. That “Isaac” is the Divine rational as to good, is evident from the signification of “laughter,” from which he was named, as being the affection of truth, or the good of truth, in the sixth and seventh verses (2640, 2641, 2643). Hence it is manifest that “the son of this handmaid shall not inherit with my son, with Isaac,” denotes that the merely human rational cannot have a life in common with the Divine rational, either as to truth or as to good. That it cannot have a life in common, is evident from the mere fact that the Divine is Life itself, and thus has life in Itself; whereas the merely human is an organ of life, and thus has not life in itself.

[2] When the Lord’s Human was made Divine it was no longer an organ of life, or a recipient of life, but was Life itself, such as is that of Jehovah Himself. It had this at first from its very conception from Jehovah, as is clearly manifest from the Lord’s own words in John:

As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself (John 5:26).

The Divine Human is what is here called the “Son” (n. 1729, 2159, 2628).

In the same:

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men (John 1:4).

In the same:

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

In the same:

Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in Me, though he die, yet shall he live (John 11:25).

In the same:

The bread of God is He that cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world (John 6:33).

But that man is not life, but an organ or recipient of life, may be seen above (n. 2021, and occasionally elsewhere). From all this it is evident that when the Lord was made Jehovah even as to His Human, that which was not life in itself, that is, that which was merely human, was banished. This is signified by its being said that the son of the handmaid could not inherit with the son Isaac.

[3] That to “inherit,” in the internal sense, when predicated of the Lord, is to have the Father’s life, thus to have life in Himself; and when predicated of men, it is to have the Lord’s life, that is, to receive life from the Lord, is evident from many passages in the Word. To have life in Himself is the Esse itself of life, that is, Jehovah; whereas to have the Lord’s life, or to receive life from the Lord, is to receive the Lord in love and faith; and as those who so receive Him are in the Lord, and are the Lord’s, they are called His “heirs,” and His “sons.”

[4] In the Word of the Old Testament “inheriting” is predicated not only of what is celestial, or of good, but also of what is spiritual, or of truth, but still the one is expressed by a different word from the other: the word that is predicated of good may be rendered “to possess by inheritance;” and the word that is predicated of truth, “to inherit.” The former word also in the original language involves possession, but the latter, derivation from something else, as is the case with the spiritual in relation to the celestial, or with truth in relation to good. In this verse, where the Lord’s Divine rational, or His Divine Human, is represented by Isaac, the word denoting possession by hereditary right is used, because the Lord’s Divine Human is the sole heir-possessor, as He also teaches in the parable (Matthew 21:33, 37-38; Mark 12:7; Luke 20:14); and He declares in several places that all things of the Father are His.

[5] That to “possess by inheritance” and to “inherit,” in the Word, when predicated of men, signify to receive life from the Lord, consequently eternal life or heaven (for they alone receive heaven who receive the Lord’s life), is evident in John:

He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be My son (Revelation 21:7).

In Matthew:

Everyone that hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:29; 25:34; Mark 10:17; Luke 18:18).

Here heaven is called “eternal life,” elsewhere simply “life” (as in Matthew 18:8-9; 19:17; John 3:36; 5:24, 29), for the reason that the Lord is Life itself, and he who receives His life is in heaven.

[6] In David:

God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah, and they shall dwell there, and possess it by inheritance, the seed also of His servants shall inherit it, and they that love His name shall dwell therein (Psalms 69:35-36); where to “possess by inheritance” is predicated of those who are in celestial love, and to “inherit” of those who are in spiritual love.

In Isaiah:

He that putteth his trust in Me shall inherit the land, and shall possess by inheritance the mountain of My holiness (Isaiah 57:13).

[7] In like manner in Moses:

I will bring you unto the land concerning which I lifted up My hand to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and I will give it to you for an hereditary possession (Exodus 6:8).

In the sense of the letter these words signify that the land of Canaan should be given to them for an hereditary possession, which also was done; but in the internal sense they signify that heaven should be given to those who are in love to the Lord and faith in Him; for as the Lord is represented by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, so love itself and faith itself are signified, consequently those who are in love and faith, and thus those who are in the Lord. The same are also signified by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with whom many shall sit down in the kingdom of the heavens, as we read in Matthew 8:11; for in heaven Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are not known at all; but it is only known what is represented and signified by them, as also what is signified by sitting down or eating with them. For that all names in the Word signify actual things may be seen above (n. 1224, 1264, 1876, 1888); also that the “land of Canaan” is the heavenly Canaan or heaven (n. 1585, 1607, 1866), which is called simply the “land” (n. 1413, 1607, 1733, 2571). So too in Matthew:

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).