9373. Come up unto Jehovah. That this signifies conjunction with the Lord, is evident from the signification of “coming up,” as being to be raised toward interior things (see n. 3084, 4539, 4969, 5406, 5817, 6007), consequently also to be conjoined (n. 8760). That it denotes conjunction with the Lord, is because by “Jehovah” in the Word is meant the the Lord, (n. 1343, 1736, 1793, 2004, 2005, 2018, 2025, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5663, 6280, 6303, 6905, 8274, 8864, 9315). A secret which also lies hidden in the internal sense of these words, is that the sons of Jacob, over whom Moses was the head, were not called and chosen; but they themselves insisted that Divine worship should be instituted among them (according to wh at has been said in n. 4290, 4293); and therefore it is here said, “and He said unto Moses, Come up unto Jehovah,” as if not Jehovah, but another, had said that he should come up. For the same reason in what follows it is said that “the people should not go up” (verse 2); and that “Jehovah sent not His hand unto the sons of Israel who were set apart” (verse 11); and that “the appearance of the glory of Jehovah was like devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the sons of Israel” (verse 17); and lastly that Moses, being called the seventh day, “entered into the midst of the cloud.” For by “the cloud” is meant the Word in the letter (n. 5922, 6343, 6752, 6832, 8106, 8443, 8781); and with the sons of Jacob the Word was separated from its internal sense, because they were in external worship without internal, as can be clearly seen from the fact that now, as before, they said, “all the words which Jehovah hath spoken we will do” (verse 3); and yet scarcely forty days afterward they worshiped a golden calf instead of Jehovah; which shows that this was hidden in their hearts while they were saying with their lips that they would serve Jehovah alone. But nevertheless those who are meant by “the called and the chosen” are those who are in internal worship, and who from internal worship are in external; that is, those who are in love to and faith in the Lord, and from this in love toward the neighbor.

6304. And shall bring you back unto the land of your fathers. That this signifies to the state of both Ancient Churches, is evident from the signification of “land,” as being the church (see n. 566, 662, 1066, 1067, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4535, 4447, 5577); and from the signification of “fathers,” as being the men of the Ancient and Most Ancient Churches (n. 6075). It is said “to the state of both Ancient Churches,” because the sons of Israel and their descendants, like those who belonged to the Ancient Churches, in every particular represented the Lord’s kingdom, celestial and spiritual. The representative itself was also instituted; with the Jewish nation that of the celestial kingdom, and with the Israelitish that of the spiritual kingdom; but with that generation nothing but a mere representative could be instituted, and not anything of the church or kingdom of the Lord; for they desired to see and acknowledge in the representatives absolutely nothing but what was external, and not anything internal. Nevertheless in order that there might exist a representative, and thereby some communication with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord, they were kept in externals; and it was then provided by the Lord that communication should exist by means of a mere external representative without an internal. This was the state to which the descendants of Jacob could be brought back; nevertheless in their external representatives there lay inwardly hidden Divine things; in the highest sense such as regarded the Lord’s Divine Human; and in the relative sense such as regarded the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens, and the church. This state of both Ancient Churches is signified by the words, “God shall bring you back unto the land of your fathers.”

2724. And called there on the name of the God of eternity. That this signifies worship therefrom, is evident from the signification of “calling upon the name of God,” as being worship (see n. 440). They who were of the Ancient Church did not by a name understand the name, but all the quality (see n. 144-145, 440, 768, 1754, 1896, 2009); and thus by the “name of God” all that in one complex by which God was worshiped, consequently everything of love and faith; but when the internal of worship perished, and only the external remained, they then began to understand by the name of God nothing else than the name, so much so that they worshiped the name itself, feeling no care about the love and the faith from which they worshiped. On this account the nations began to distinguish themselves by the names of their gods; and the Jews and Israelites set themselves up above the rest, because they worshiped Jehovah, placing the essential of worship in uttering the name and invoking it, when in truth the worship of a name only is no worship, and may also be found among the worst of men, who thereby profane the more.

[2] But as by the “name of God” everything of worship is signified, that is, everything of love and faith from which He is worshiped, it is therefore evident what is meant by “hallowed be Thy Name,” in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9); also by what the Lord said:

Ye shall be hated for My name’s sake (Matthew 10:22).

If two shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in the heavens; for where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:19-20).

Everyone that hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:29).

Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord (Matthew 21:9).

Jesus said, Ye shall not see Me henceforth till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord (Matthew 23:39).

Ye shall be hated of all nations for My name’s sake; and then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another (Matthew 24:9-10).

As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, to them that believe on His name (John 1:12).

He that believeth not is judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18).

Jesus said, Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do (John 14:14-15; 15:16; 16:23-24, 26-27).

Jesus said, I have manifested Thy name unto the men (John 17:6).

Holy Father, keep them in Thy name whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are (John 17:11-12).

I have made known unto them Thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them (John 17:26).

That ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in His name (John 20:31).

Besides very many passages in the Old Testament, in which by the “name” of Jehovah and of God the name is not meant, but everything of love and faith from which is worship.

[3] But they who worship a name only, without love and faith, are thus spoken of in Matthew:

Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied by Thy name, and by Thy name have cast out demons, and in Thy name done many mighty works? But I will confess unto them, I know you not; depart from Me ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:22-23).

When as before said the men of the church became external, from being internal, and began to place worship in a name alone, they then no longer acknowledged one God, but many. For it was a common thing for the ancients to add something to the name of Jehovah, and thereby call to mind some benefit or attribute of His, as in the passage before us, “he called upon the name of the God of eternity;” and in the following chapter (22), “Abraham called the name of that place, Jehovah-jireh,” that is, “Jehovah shall see” (verse 14). “Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi,” that is, “Jehovah my banner” (Exodus 17:15); “Gideon built an altar there unto Jehovah, and called it Jehovah-shalom” that is, “Jehovah of peace” (Judges 6:24); besides other places. From this it came to pass that they who placed worship in a name only, acknowledged so many gods; and also that among the Gentiles, especially in Greece and at Rome, so many gods were acknowledged and worshiped; whereas the Ancient Church, from which the epithets emanated, never worshiped but one God, reverenced under so many names, because by the “name” they understood the quality.