498. This first state after death lasts a few days for some people, months for some, and a year for some, but rarely more than a year for anyone. The difference for particular individuals depends on the harmony or discord between their inner and outer natures. These inner and outer natures must act as one and correspond for everyone. No one is allowed to think and intend one way and speak and act another way in the spiritual world. Everyone must be an image of his or her affection or love, which means we must be outwardly what we are inwardly. This is why the outer concerns of a spirit are first stripped off and brought into order: so that they may serve as a plane responsive to the inner ones.

2846. 'I will certainly bless you' means fruitfulness by virtue of the affection for truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'being blessed' as being enriched with celestial and spiritual good, dealt with in 981, 1096, 1420, 1422 - here, being enriched with good that is the product of faith, or what amounts to the same, with the affection for truth, for those who are spiritual are the subject. In this verse where Jehovah says to Abraham, 'I will certainly bless you', Abraham represents the Lord as regards the Divine Human, as he has done already in this chapter. The Lord Himself was not able to be blessed as He is Blessing itself; but the verb 'to be blessed' is used when, as His love desires, the number of those who are being saved is abounding, and therefore in the internal sense it is these that are meant here, as is clear also from the things that follow next. The expression 'fruitfulness' is employed here because it is said in reference to affection, whereas the expression 'multiplying', as in what follows, has reference to truths derived from that affection.

1422. That 'I will bless those who bless you' means pure happiness to those who from their hearts acknowledge the Lord becomes clear from the meaning of 'blessing', which includes every single thing received from the Lord, both that which is good and that which is true, thus every celestial, spiritual, natural, worldly, or bodily form of what is good and true. And because in the universal sense 'blessing' embraces all of these, the meaning of 'to bless' in individual places may be seen from the context in which it occurs, for it fits in with those matters to which it then refers. From this it is clear that 'I will bless those who bless you' means pure happiness to those who from their hearts acknowledge the Lord, since here in the internal sense, as has been stated, the Lord is the subject.

[2] 'Blessing Jehovah (or the Lord)' was an expression used commonly among the ancients, as is clear in the Word, for example in David,

Bless God in the assemblies, even the Lord from the fountain of Israel. Psalms 68:26.

In the same author,

Sing to Jehovah, bless His name, proclaim His salvation from day to day. Psalms 96:2.

In Daniel,

In the vision of the night the arcanum was revealed. Therefore Daniel blessed the God of heaven; he said, Let the name of God Himself be blessed for ever and ever, for wisdom and power are His. Daniel 2:19-20.

And one also reads of Zechariah and Simeon blessing God, Luke 1:64; 2:28. Here it is evident what 'blessing the Lord' implies, namely singing to Him, proclaiming His salvation, declaring His wisdom and power, and so confessing and acknowledging Him from the heart. People who do so are most certainly blessed by the Lord, that is, they are gifted with those things which constitute blessing, namely celestial good, spiritual good, natural good, worldly good, and bodily good, and when these forms of good flow consecutively in this order happiness exists within them.

[3] Since 'blessing Jehovah (or the Lord)' and 'being blessed by Jehovah (or the Lord)' were expressions used commonly among the ancients it was therefore also common to say 'Blessed be Jehovah', as in David,

Blessed be Jehovah, for He has heard the voice of my prayers. Psalms 28:6.

In the same author,

Blessed be Jehovah, for He has made His mercy marvellous to me. Psalms 31:21.

In the same author,

Blessed be God, who has not cast away my prayers, nor His mercy from me. Psalms 66:20.

In the same author,

Blessed be Jehovah God, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things; and blessed be the name of His glory for ever; let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Psalms 72:18-19.

In the same author,

Blessed are You, O Jehovah, teach me Your statutes! Psalms 119:12.

In the same author,

Blessed be Jehovah, my rock, who trains my hands. Psalms 144:1.

In Luke,

Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the God of Israel, for He has visited and brought deliverance to His people. Luke 1:67-68.