21
والأموريين والكنعانيين والجرجاشيين واليبوسيين
Arcana Coelestia #9416
9416. 'And I will give you tablets of stone' means the book of the law, or the Word in its entirety. This is clear from the meaning of 'tablets' as objects on which matters of doctrine and life have been inscribed, in this instance matters of heavenly doctrine and of life in keeping with it. The reason why those tablets mean the book of the law or the Word in its entirety is that the things which had been inscribed on them contained in a general way all matters of life and of that heavenly doctrine. This also explains why the things inscribed on them are called the ten words, Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 10:4. For 'ten' in the internal sense means all, and 'words' means truths that are matters of doctrine and forms of good that are matters of life. For the meaning of 'ten' as all, see 3107, 4638, 8468, 8540, and for that of 'words' as truths and forms of good that are matters of life and doctrine, 1288, 4692, 5272. This is why those tablets mean the Word in its entirety, just as the Law does, which in a restricted sense means the things which had been inscribed on those tablets, in a less restricted sense the Word that was written through Moses, in a broad sense the historical section of the Word, and in the broadest sense the Word in its entirety, see what has been shown in 6752. Furthermore the things which had been inscribed on those tablets belonged to the first stage in the revelation of Divine Truth; they were also declared in actual words uttered by the Lord before all the Israelite people. What belongs to the first stage means all the rest in their proper order; and the fact that those things were declared in actual words uttered by the Lord means direct Divine inspiration in all other stages of revelation as well. The reason why those tablets were made of stone was that 'stone' means truth, 643, 1298, 3720, 6426, the lowest levels of truth, to be exact, 8609. The lowest levels of God's truth constitute the letter of the Word as it exists on this planet, 9360.
[2] There was not one tablet but two, to represent the joining of the Lord to the Church through the Word, and through the Church to the human race. This also is why they are called the tablets of the covenant, Deuteronomy 9:9, 11, 15, and why the words inscribed on them are called the words of the covenant, Exodus 34:27-28, also the covenant, Deuteronomy 4:13, 23. And the ark itself in which the tablets had been deposited was called the ark of the covenant, Numbers 10:33; 14:44; Deuteronomy 10:8; 31:9, 25-26; Joshua 3:3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17; 4:7, 9, 18; 6:6, 8; 8:33; Judges 20:27; 1 Samuel 4:3-5; 2 Samuel 15:24; 1 Kings 3:15; 6:19; 8:1, 6; Jeremiah 3:16. For a covenant is a joining together, 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396. This explains why those tablets were divided from each other yet were joined together by being laid alongside each other. The writing on them ran across continuously from one tablet onto the other, like the writing on a single tablet. It was not, as people ordinarily think, that some commandments were written on one tablet and some on the other. For a single object divided in two, and the two parts then brought together or given each to the other, means the Lord and man joined together. The establishment of covenants was therefore accomplished in similar ways, that with Abraham for example by parting down the middle a heifer, she-goat, and ram, and laying each part opposite the other, Genesis 15:9-12; in verses 6 and 8 of the present chapter by putting blood in bowls and then sprinkling it half over the altar and half over the people; and generally in all sacrifices by burning one part on the altar and giving the other part to the people to eat. The like was also represented by the Lord when He broke bread, Matthew 14:19; 15:36; 26:26; Mark 6:41; 8:6; 14:22; Luke 9:16; 22:19; 24:30-31, 35. Here also is the reason why 'two' in the Word means things joined together, 5194, 8423, here the Lord and heaven, or the Lord and the Church, joined together, thus also goodness and truth joined together, which is called the heavenly marriage. From all this it becomes clear why it is that there were two tablets and that both sides of them were written on, from edge to edge, Exodus 32:15-16.
[3] Furthermore when the writing and engraving on tablets is mentioned in the Word it means those things that must be imprinted in people's memory and on their life, and so remain there, as in Isaiah,
Write it on a tablet among them, and express it in a book, 1 so that it may be for time to come forever, even to eternity. Isaiah 30:8.
In Jeremiah,
The sin of Judah has been written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it has been engraved on the tablet of their heart, and at the horns of your altars. Jeremiah 17:1.
In Habakkuk,
Jehovah said, Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that one running by may read it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; if it tarries, wait for it, because it will surely come. Habakkuk 2:2-3.
Footnotes:
1. literally, on a book (i.e. on a scroll)
Luke 24
1
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they and some others came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared.
2
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb.
3
They entered in, and didn't find the Lord Jesus' body.
4
It happened, while they were greatly perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling clothing.
5
Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth. They said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?
6
He isn't here, but is risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee,
7
saying that the Son of Man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again?"
8
They remembered his words,
9
returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest.
10
Now they were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. The other women with them told these things to the apostles.
11
These words seemed to them to be nonsense, and they didn't believe them.
12
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping and looking in, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he departed to his home, wondering what had happened.
13
Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia from Jerusalem.
14
They talked with each other about all of these things which had happened.
15
It happened, while they talked and questioned together, that Jesus himself came near, and went with them.
16
But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
17
He said to them, "What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad?"
18
One of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things which have happened there in these days?"
19
He said to them, "What things?" They said to him, "The things concerning Jesus, the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people;
20
and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.
21
But we were hoping that it was he who would redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.
22
Also, certain women of our company amazed us, having arrived early at the tomb;
23
and when they didn't find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.
24
Some of us went to the tomb, and found it just like the women had said, but they didn't see him."
25
He said to them, "Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26
Didn't the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?"
27
Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
28
They drew near to the village, where they were going, and he acted like he would go further.
29
They urged him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is almost evening, and the day is almost over." He went in to stay with them.
30
It happened, that when he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave to them.
31
Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished out of their sight.
32
They said one to another, "Weren't our hearts burning within us, while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?"
33
They rose up that very hour, returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and those who were with them,
34
saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"
35
They related the things that happened along the way, and how he was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
36
As they said these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace be to you."
37
But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38
He said to them, "Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts?
39
See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn't have flesh and bones, as you see that I have."
40
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.
41
While they still didn't believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"
42
They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.
43
He took them, and ate in front of them.
44
He said to them, "This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled."
45
Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.
46
He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
47
and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48
You are witnesses of these things.
49
Behold, I send forth the promise of my Father on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high."
50
He led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
51
It happened, while he blessed them, that he withdrew from them, and was carried up into heaven.
52
They worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
53
and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
