from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

The Lord #36

Studere hoc loco

  
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36. 7. In this way, God became human on both the first [or innermost] level and the last [or outermost] level.

It is explained at some length in Heaven and Hell that God is human and that because of God all angels and spirits are human, and there will be more on this topic in the books about angelic wisdom.

While from the beginning God was human on the first [or innermost] level, he was not yet human on the last [or outermost] level. After he took on a human nature in the world, though, he also became human on the last [or outermost] level. This follows from what has been shown above, namely, that the Lord united his human nature with his divine nature and in this way made his human nature divine as well.

That is why the Lord is called the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, and the Alpha and the Omega. This is in the Book of Revelation:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, ” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8, 11)

When John saw the Son of Humanity in the midst of the seven lampstands,

[John] fell at his feet as dead, but [the Son of Humanity] laid his right hand on him, saying, “I am the First and the Last.” (Revelation 1:13, 17; 2:8; 21:6)

Behold, I am coming quickly, to give to all according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. (Revelation 22:12-13)

And in Isaiah,

Thus says Jehovah the King of Israel, and Israel’s Redeemer, Jehovah Sabaoth: “I am the First and the Last.” (Isaiah 44:6; 48:12)

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

Bibliorum

 

Luke 24:39-40

Study

      

39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

      

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine #286

Studere hoc loco

  
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286. That the Lord was conceived from Jehovah the Father, and thus was God from conception, is known in the church; and also that He rose again with the whole body, for He left nothing in the sepulchre; of which He also afterwards confirmed the disciples, saying:

See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; feel Me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have (Luke 24:39).

And although He was Man as to flesh and bones, still He entered through the closed doors, and, after He had manifested Himself, became invisible (John 20: 19, 26; Luke 24:31). The case is otherwise with every man, for man only rises again, as to the spirit, and not as to the body, wherefore when He said, that He is not as a spirit, He said that He is not as another man. Hence it is evident that the Human in the Lord is also Divine.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.