1996. 'I will make My covenant between Me and you' means the union of the Internal Man, which was Jehovah, with the Interior Man. This is clear from the meaning of 'a covenant' as a joining together, for as often as a covenant between Jehovah and man is mentioned in the Word, nothing else is meant in the internal sense by a covenant than the Lord's being joined to man. The covenants made so many times between Jehovah and the descendants of Jacob had no other representation. As this point has been confirmed in Volume One, in 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, it would be superfluous to do so again here. The Lord's Internal Man was Jehovah because He was conceived from Him, while the Interior Man is represented here by Abram. Consequently 'the covenant between Me and you' means the union of the Internal Man, or Jehovah, with the Interior Man, and so with the Lord's Human Essence.

1023. That 'and I, behold I am establishing My covenant' means the Lord's presence in charity becomes clear from the meaning of 'a covenant', dealt with in 666, where it was shown that 'a covenant' means regeneration, and in particular the conjunction of the Lord with a regenerate person by means of love. It was also shown there that the heavenly marriage is the actual covenant itself, and that consequently the heavenly marriage exists with every regenerate person. The nature of this marriage or covenant has also been shown already.

[2] The heavenly marriage with the member of the Most Ancient Church existed in the area of his own will, but the heavenly marriage with the member of the Ancient Church came into existence in the area of his own understanding. Actually when the will part of man's mind had become utterly corrupted, the Lord in miraculous fashion separated the area of his own understanding from that corrupted will part, and within the area of man's own understanding He formed a new will, which is conscience. Into conscience He infused charity, and into charity innocence, and in this manner joined Himself to man, or what amounts to the same, established a covenant with him.

[3] To the extent that the area of a person's own will can be separated from this understanding part the Lord is able to be present with him, that is, to join Himself or establish a covenant with him. Temptations and similar means of regeneration render inactive the area of a person's own will, so that it is reduced to nothing and so to speak dies. To the extent that this happens the Lord can operate within charity by means of conscience implanted in the area of a person's own understanding. This is what is called 'a covenant' here.