8301. Who is like Thee, O Jehovah, among the gods. That this signifies that all truth of good proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord, is evident from the signification of “gods,” as being truths (see n. 4402, 7268, 7873), here truths from good, because comparison is made with Jehovah, for it is said “who is like Thee, O Jehovah, among the gods?” (That “Jehovah” in the Word denotes the Lord, see n. 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5041, 5663, 6280, 6281, 6303, 6905, 6945, 6956.) That the Divine Human is here meant by “Jehovah,” is because in this song the subject treated of is the salvation of those who had been of the spiritual church, by the coming of the Lord into the world, and by His Divine Human then (n. 2661, 2716, 2833, 2834, 6372, 6854, 6914, 7035, 7091, 7828, 7932, 8018, 8054). That by these words is signified that all the truth of good proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord, is because truths can proceed from everybody; but the truths of good only from the Lord, consequently from those who are in good from the Lord. Truths separate from good are indeed thought and spoken by those who are in persuasive faith and nevertheless in a life of evil, and likewise by many others within the church; but these truths are not of good, thus do not proceed from the Lord, but from themselves.

[2] That truths from good proceed from the Lord can be seen from the fact that the Lord is good itself, because He is love itself; from this proceeds truth, like light from the flame of the sun; and this truth is like the light in the time of spring and summer, which has heat in its bosom, and causes all things of the earth as it were to receive life; whereas the truth which is not from good is like the light in the time of winter, when all things of the earth die. That “gods” denote the truths of good, is because by “gods” in a good sense are meant the angels, who are called “gods” because they are substances or forms recipient of truth in which is good from the Lord.

[3] Angels, and consequently the truths of good which are from the Lord, are also meant by “gods” in David:

God standeth in the assembly of God, He shall judge in the midst of the gods, I said, Ye are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High (Psalms 82:1, 6).

That the truths which proceed from the Lord are what are here meant by “gods,” is evident from the fact that it is first said “the assembly of God,” in the singular number; and afterward, “in the midst of the gods.” (That “God” is mentioned in the Word where truth is treated of, see n. 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921, 4287, 4402, 7010; and that “God” in the supreme sense denotes the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, n. 7268.) In the same:

I will confess to Thee in my whole heart, before the gods will I sing psalms to Thee (Psalms 138:1).

There is none like Thee among the gods, O Lord (Psalms 86:8).

Jehovah is a great God, and a great King above all gods (Psalms 95:3).

Thou, Jehovah, art high above all the earth; Thou art exalted exceedingly above all gods (Psalms 97:9).

I know that Jehovah is great, and that our Lord is above all gods (Psalms 135:5).

Therefore also Jehovah is called “Lord of lords and God of gods” (Deuteronomy 10:17 Josh. 22:22; Psalms 136:2-3).

[4] That it is so often said that “Jehovah is above all gods,” and that He is “God of gods,” is because at that time many gods were worshiped, and the nations were distinguished by the gods whom they worshiped, and each nation believed that its own god was the supreme of all, and because from this the idea of a plurality of gods was seated in all minds, and it was disputed which of them was the greater, as can be sufficiently evident from the historicals of the Word in many passages; and this opinion was seated in the minds of the Jews above others, for which reason it is so often said in the Word that “Jehovah is greater than all gods,” and that “He is King,” and “God of gods.” That this opinion concerning many gods was seated in the minds of the Jews above other nations, can be sufficiently evident from their frequent apostasy to the worship of other gods, of which frequently in the historic books of the Word (see Judges 2:10-13, 17, 19; 3:5-7, 8:27, 33; 10:6, 10, 13; 18:14, 17-18, 20, 24, 31; 1 Samuel 7:3-4; 8:8; 1 Kings 14:23-24; 16:31-33; 18:20; 21:26; 22:53; 2 Kings 16:1, 10; 17:7, 15-17; 21:3-7, 21; 23:4-5, 7-8, 10-13).

[5] That nation was so demented that they confessed Jehovah solely with the mouth; but nevertheless at heart they acknowledged other gods, as can be clearly seen from the fact that after they had seen so many miracles in Egypt, and so many also afterward: the sea divided before them, and the army of Pharaoh immersed therein; the pillar of cloud and of fire continually appearing; the manna raining down daily from heaven; and the very presence of Jehovah with majesty and with terror so great upon Mount Sinai; and after they had uttered a confession that Jehovah alone is God, nevertheless after some weeks, merely because Moses delayed, they demanded for themselves molten gods to worship, and when these gods were made by Aaron, paid them divine worship by a feast, by burnt-offerings and sacrifices, and by dances. From this it can be seen that the worship of many gods clung to their hearts. That this nation was of such a character above every other nation in the whole earth, is also evident in Jeremiah:

Hath a nation changed gods? and My people hath changed its glory for that which doth not profit. Be ye amazed, O heavens, at this, and shudder ye, be ye in exceeding trepidation: according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah (2:11-12, 28).

Moreover the native quality of that nation is such that above all other nations they adore external things, thus idols, and are unwilling to know anything whatever about internal things. For they are the most avaricious of all nations; and avarice such as theirs, which loves gold and silver for the sake of gold and silver, and not for the sake of any use, is an affection in the highest degree earthly, which drags down the mind wholly to the body, and immerses it therein, and so completely closes the interiors that it is utterly impossible for anything of faith and love from heaven to enter. From this it is evident how greatly those err who believe that that nation will be again chosen, or that the church of the Lord will again pass to them, all others being rejected; when yet it would be more easy to convert stones, rather than them, to faith in the Lord. It is believed that the church will again pass to them, because in the prophetics of the Word it is said in many passages that they are to return. But it is not known that in these passages, by “Judah,” by “Jacob,” and by “Israel,” is not meant that nation, but those with whom is the church.

7091. Thus said Jehovah the God of Israel. That this signifies from the Divine Human of the Lord, namely, exhortation to those who are against the truths of the church, is evident from the fact that by “Jehovah the God of Israel” is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human. (That in the Word the Lord is “Jehovah,” see n. 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5041, 5663, 6281, 6303, 6905.) He is called “the God of Israel,” because by “Israel” is signified the Lord’s spiritual kingdom (n. 6426, 6637), and because the Lord by His coming into the world saved those who were of that kingdom or church (n. 6854, 6914, 7035). The reason why “the God of Israel” is the Lord as to the Divine Human, is that they who are of that church have natural ideas about everything spiritual and heavenly, and also about the Divine; and therefore unless they thought of the Divine as of a natural man, they could not be conjoined with the Divine by anything of affection; for if they thought of the Divine not as of a natural man, they would either have no ideas, or extravagant ones, about the Divine, and would thereby defile the Divine.

Hence it is that by “the God of Israel” is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human, and indeed as to the Divine natural. (That by “Israel” and “Jacob” in the supreme sense is meant the Lord as to the Divine natural; by “Israel,” as to the internal Divine natural; and by “Jacob,” as to the external Divine natural, see n. 4570; also that they who are of the spiritual church were and are saved by the Divine Human of the Lord, n. 2833, 2834; and also that the man of the spiritual church, who is “Israel,” is interior natural, n. 4286, 4402.)

[2] From all this then it is evident why the Lord in the Word is called “Jehovah the God of Israel,” and “Jehovah the HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL.” Everyone can know that the Divine must be so named in agreement with something holy not apparent in the sense of the letter. That the Lord as to the Divine natural is meant by “the God of Israel” is plain from many passages in the Word; manifestly from the following:

That Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel saw the God of Israel, under whose feet was as it were a work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the substance of heaven for cleanness (Exodus 24:9-10).

[3] That it was the Lord and not Jehovah who is called the “Father” is evident from the Lord’s words in John:

No one hath ever seen God (John 1:18). Ye have neither ever heard His voice, nor seen His shape (John 5:37).

In Isaiah:

I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I am Jehovah, who have called thee by thy name, the God of Israel (Isaiah 45:3).

In Ezekiel:

Over the head of the cherubs was as it were the appearance of a sapphire stone, the likeness of a throne; and over the likeness of a throne a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above; and he had the appearance of fire and a rainbow, and of brightness round about (Ezekiel 1:26-28).

These are called “the glory of Jehovah,” and “of the God of Israel,” in the same (Ezekiel 1:28; 8:4; 9:3; 10:19-20), and also where the new temple is described (Ezekiel 43:2; 44:2); as also in many other passages (Isaiah 17:6; 21:10, 17; 24:15; 41:17; Psalms 41:13; 59:5; 68:8, 35; 6 9:6; 72:18, and elsewhere). So also He is called “the HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL” (Isaiah 1:4; 5:19; 10:20; 17:7; 30:1, 12, 15; 49:7; 60:9, 14; Ezekiel 39:7).

[4] That the “God of Israel” and the “HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL” are the Lord as to the Divine Human is also evident from the fact that He is called the “REDEEMER,” the “SAVIOR,” the “MAKER”—the Redeemer, in Isaiah:

Our Redeemer, Jehovah Zebaoth; His name the HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL (Isaiah 47:4; also Isaiah 41:14; 43:14 48:17; 54:5); also the SAVIOR (Isaiah 43:3); and the MAKER (Isaiah 45:11).

From all this it is also evident that by “Jehovah” in the Word of the Old Testament, no other is meant than the Lord, for He is called JEHOVAH GOD and the HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, the REDEEMER, the SAVIOR, the MAKER—“Jehovah the Redeemer and Savior” in Isaiah:

That all flesh may know that I Jehovah am thy Savior, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob (Isaiah 49:26).

That thou mayest know that I Jehovah am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob (Isaiah 60:16; as also (Isaiah 43:14) Isaiah 43:1 (Isaiah 44:6)44:24; (Isaiah 54:8) (Isaiah 63:16) 44:6, 24; 54:8; 63:16; Psalms 19:14).

[5] That the Lord saved Israel, that is, those who are of the spiritual church, is said in Isaiah:

I will make mention of the mercies of Jehovah, the praises of Jehovah, according to all that Jehovah hath recompensed to us; abundant in goodness to the house of Israel. He said, Surely they are My people; sons who do not lie; and therefore He became their Savior; in all their distress He had distress; and the angel of His faces liberated them; because of His love, and His indulgence, He redeemed them; and He took them up, and carried them all the days of eternity (Isaiah 63:7-9).