from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Secrets of Heaven #1255

Studere hoc loco

  
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1255. The fact that by their births means insofar as they were able to reform can be seen from the symbolism of birth as reformation. When we are being reborn or regenerated by the Lord, each and every new thing that we receive is a birth. So in this case, since the ancient church is under discussion, the births mean insofar as its people were able to reform.

With regard to reformation of the nations, they did not all have the same kind of worship or the same teachings, because they did not all have the same disposition or the same upbringing and education from childhood on. The Lord never breaks the principles we first adopt as children but bends them. Any principles we possess that we have always invested with holiness, any that do not inherently oppose God's plan or the order of the physical world but are inconsequential, those principles the Lord leaves alone and allows to remain in us. This was true of many principles that the second ancient church adopted, which will be discussed below [§§1337, 1343], by the Lord's divine mercy.

  
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Many thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation and its New Century Edition team.

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #3026

Studere hoc loco

  
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3026. 'But go to my land and to the place of my nativity' means to the Divine celestial and spiritual things which the Lord acquired to Himself. This is clear from the meaning of 'land' as the celestial element of love, dealt with in 1413, 1607, and from the meaning of 'nativity' or 'generation' as the spiritual element of love, dealt with in 1145, 1255. Here, since the Lord is the subject, those Divine celestial and spiritual things are meant which He acquired to Himself by His own power, see 1813, 1921, 2025, 2026, 2083, 2500.

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

Bibliorum

 

Genesis 25

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1 Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.

2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba, and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.

4 The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

5 Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac,

6 but to the sons of Abraham's concubines, Abraham gave gifts. He sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, to the east country.

7 These are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived: one hundred seventy-five years.

8 Abraham gave up the spirit, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people.

9 Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre,

10 the field which Abraham purchased of the children of Heth. Abraham was buried there with Sarah, his wife.

11 It happened after the death of Abraham that God blessed Isaac, his son. Isaac lived by Beer Lahai Roi.

12 Now this is the history of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bore to Abraham.

13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to the order of their birth: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa,

15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes, according to their nations.

17 These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people.

18 They lived from Havilah to Shur that is before Egypt, as you go toward Assyria. He lived opposite all his relatives.

19 This is the history of the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham became the father of Isaac.

20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian, to be his wife.

21 Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren. Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

22 The children struggled together within her. She said, "If it be so, why do I live?" She went to inquire of Yahweh.

23 Yahweh said to her, "Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger."

24 When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

25 The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esau.

26 After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau's heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

27 The boys grew. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field. Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.

28 Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was famished.

30 Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am famished." Therefore his name was called Edom.

31 Jacob said, "First, sell me your birthright."

32 Esau said, "Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?"

33 Jacob said, "Swear to me first." He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob.

34 Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.