4180. 'Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Dread of Isaac, had been with me' means but for the Divine and the Divine Human. This is clear from the meaning of 'the God of my father' when used in reference to the Lord, as the Divine as regards Good - 'Father' meaning Divine Good, and 'Son' Divine Truth, see 2803, 3704, in this case the Divine Good of each Essence; from the meaning of 'the God of Abraham' as the Divine itself which is called the Divine Essence - 'Abraham' representing the Lord as regards the Divine itself, 2011, 3439; and from the meaning of 'the Dread of Isaac' as the Divine Human. The expression 'the Dread' is used because it is Divine Truth that is meant by it. For among people who are not governed by good Divine Truth holds fear, dread, and terror within it, unlike Divine Good which does not strike fear into anyone. The same expression and meaning occur later on in this chapter,

Jacob swore by the Dread of Isaac his father. Verse 53.

Because he had been separated from Jacob by now, that is, because intermediate good had been separated from Divine good, Laban's state was such that he wished to do harm, as is evident from the things that are mentioned regarding Laban. It is because his state was such that the expression 'the Dread of Isaac' is used. Anyone can see that 'the Dread of Isaac' means the God of Isaac, and also that Laban's state was such. For 'Isaac' represents the Lord's Divine Human, in particular as regards the Divine Rational, see 1893, 2066, 2072, 2083, 2630, 3012, 3194, 3210, 3704.

[2] As regards what is said above, that Divine Truth coming from the Lord, unlike Divine Good, holds dread within it so far as those not governed by good are concerned, the position is this: The holiness which radiates from the Lord has Divine Good and Divine Truth within it. These go forth from the Lord unceasingly and are the source of the light which shines in the heavens and the source of the light which shines in human minds. Consequently they are the source of wisdom and intelligence, for these are present within that light. But the way in which anyone is affected by that light, or wisdom and intelligence, depends on how he receives it. Those who are governed by evil do not receive Divine Good since they possess no love or charity, for everything good is a manifestation of love and charity. But Divine Truth is able to be received even by the evil, though only by their external man, not by their internal.

[3] It is like the warmth and light which come from the sun. Spiritual warmth is love, and so good, whereas spiritual light is faith, and so truth. When warmth from the sun is being received, trees and flowers grow, producing leaves and blossom and fruit, or seeds. This occurs in spring and summer-time. But when warmth from the sun is not received, only light, nothing grows. All vegetation then becomes inactive, as it does in autumn and winter-time. The same also applies to spiritual warmth and spiritual light which come from the Lord. If a person is spring-like or summer-like he receives the good which flows from love and charity and produces fruit; but if he is autumn-like or winter-like he does not receive that good and therefore does not produce any fruit. Yet he is still able to receive light, that is, he is able to know things that are matters of faith or truth. The effect of the light of winter is similar to that of summer, in that it too produces colourful and beautiful sights and enables them to be seen. But it is different in that it does not penetrate beneath the surface because it has no warmth in it, and as a consequence nothing can grow.

[4] The reception of light alone therefore and not of good is as when objects do not receive any warmth. Merely the outward form and the beauty of that form is received from the light, so that they are cold within; and when they are cold within they are all inactive, looking so to speak like something wrinkled with its hairs standing on end when the light meets it. And these are the conditions which produce fear, dread, and terror in living creatures. This comparison enables one to comprehend to some extent the nature of the fear, dread, and terror experienced by the evil. That is to say, such feelings are not the product of Divine Good but of Divine Truth; and they occur when people do not receive Divine Good yet do receive Divine Truth. The comparison also enables one to comprehend that Divine Truth devoid of Good cannot penetrate beneath the surface but stays in the outermost parts, that is, in the external man, and mainly in the area of sensory awareness belonging to the external man. More than this it enables one to comprehend that a person may sometimes look beautiful in outward form and yet in inward form be detestable. From all this one may also see the nature of the faith with very many - faith which, they say, saves without good works, that is, without goodwill and good actions.

[5] It being the Divine Human, and not the Divine itself, from which Divine Truth proceeds, it is the Divine Human therefore which is meant here by 'the Dread of Isaac'. For as has been stated, it is Divine Truth which strikes fear into someone, not Divine Good. That it is the Lord's Divine Human, and not the Divine itself, from which Divine Truth proceeds is an arcanum that has not been disclosed up to now. The implications of the arcanum are as follows: Before the Lord came into the world the Divine itself flowed into the whole of heaven; and because heaven at that time consisted for the most part of those who were celestial, that is, who were governed by the good of love, that influx of God's Almighty power furnished the light which shone in the heavens, and with that light wisdom and intelligence. But when the human race departed from the good of love and charity it was no longer possible for that light to be provided by way of heaven, nor consequently for the wisdom and intelligence to come through to the human race. For this reason, so that the human race might be saved, the Lord out of necessity came into the world and made Divine the Human within Himself in order that as to that Divine Human He might become Divine Light, and in so doing might bring light to the whole of heaven and to the whole world. He had been from eternity Light itself, for the Divine itself passing through the heavens was the source of that Light. And it was the Divine itself which took on the Human and made this Human Divine; and once that Human had been made Divine He was then able to bring light not only to the celestial heaven itself but also to the spiritual heaven, and to the human race too, which received and receives Divine Truth within good, that is, within love to Him and within charity towards the neighbour, as is evident in John,

As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13.

[6] The things that have now been stated make clear the meaning of the following in John,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. He was the true Light that enlightens every man coming into the world. John 1:1-4, 9.

Here 'the Word' means Divine Truth. Yet as to both Essences the Lord is Divine Good, whereas Divine Truth is that which proceeds from Him, see 3704. For Divine Good cannot be received by any man, nor even by any angel, but only by the Lord's Divine Human, which is what the following words in John are used to mean,

Nobody has ever seen God; the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has made Him known. John 1:18.

Man is however able to receive Divine Truth, though only in a form possible for it to exist with the recipient. And within that Truth, Divine Good is able to dwell, but in differing ways according to the kind of reception it is given.

[7] Such are the arcana which come to mind among the angels when man reads the words 'Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Dread of Isaac, had been with me'. It shows how heavenly in content the Word is, and every detail of it, although nothing of that content is visible in the sense of the letter. It also shows how superior angelic wisdom is to human wisdom, and that angels are aware of the deepest arcana while man does not even know that the Word contains any arcanum at all. Those which have been mentioned are only a very few, for within these arcana angels see and perceive countless details. Indeed, compared with those few arcana an infinity of details are seen by angels which cannot possibly be made known here because human language is inadequate to express what they are. Nor is the human mind capable of receiving them.

2803. As regards Divine Truth being meant by 'son' and Divine Good by 'father', this becomes clear from the meaning of 'son' as truth, dealt with in 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, and of 'father' as good, and also from the conception and birth of truth as taking place from good. As has been shown many times, truth cannot have being or manifest itself except from good. The reason 'son' here means Divine Truth, and 'father' Divine Good, is that the union of the Divine Essence with the Human Essence, and of the Human Essence with the Divine Essence, is the Divine Marriage of Divine Good to Truth, and of Truth to Good; and from that marriage comes the heavenly marriage. For within Jehovah or the Lord there is nothing but that which is infinite, and this being so, no other idea can be conceived of Him than that He is the Being and Manifestation (Esse et Existere) of all good and truth, that is, He is Good itself and Truth itself. Good itself is the Father, and Truth itself the Son. Now because the Divine Marriage, as has been stated, is a marriage of Good and Truth, and of Truth and Good, the Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the Father, as the Lord Himself teaches in John,

Jesus said to Philip, Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me. John 14:10-11.

And elsewhere in the same evangelist,

Jesus said to the Jews, Even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father. John 10:36, 38.

And elsewhere,

I pray for them - for all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine - that they may all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I in You John 17:9-10, 21.

And elsewhere,

Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself. Father, glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You. John 13:31-32; 17:1.

[2] From these places one may see the nature of the union of the Divine and of the Human within the Lord - that each is linked mutually to the other and responds to the other - that is, it is a reciprocal union. This is the Union which is called the Divine Marriage, from which the heavenly marriage comes down, which is the Lord's kingdom itself in heaven and is referred to in John as follows,

On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. John 14:20.

And elsewhere,

I pray for these, that they may all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, I in them and You in Me, that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them. John 17:21-23, 26.

[3] As regards this heavenly marriage being a marriage of good and truth, and of truth and good, see 2508, 2618, 2728, 2729 and following paragraphs. And since Divine Good cannot possibly have being or manifest itself without Divine Truth, and Divine Truth cannot possibly do so without Divine Good, but one is always reaching out to and responding to the other, it is therefore plain that the Divine Marriage has existed from eternity, that is, the Father in the Son, and the Son in the Father, as the Lord Himself teaches in John,

Now, Father, glorify Me in Your Own Self with the glory I had with You before the world was. John 17:5, 24.

But the Divine Human that had been born from eternity was also born in time, and what was born in time is the same as that which was glorified. This is what accounts for the Lord's saying many times that He was going to the Father who sent Him, that is, He was returning to the Father. And in John,

In the beginning was the Word (the Word being Divine Truth itself), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. Furthermore the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the Only Begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-3, 14.

See also John 3:13; 6:62.