In many cases, the spiritual meaning of "own," both as a verb and as an adjective, is relatively literal. When people are described as the "Lord's own," however, it specifically means those people who know Him and have His Word. This has taken various forms since the dawn of humanity; in the prehistoric church known as the "Most Ancient Church" the Lord's truth -- the direct expression of His love -- flowed into people directly. In the Ancient Church the Lord's Word was recognized in nature and in the form of deeply representative stories, some of which were passed on to us in the early chapters of Genesis. Among the Children of Israel the Lord's Word was expressed through the Ten Commandments, the laws of Moses, the very history of the nation of Israel and the various psalms and prophecies. The early Christians had those stories along with the teaching and inspiration of Jesus himself. We now have the whole Bible, including the teachings of Jesus, and can understand the Bible's true meaning. Each of these churches, then, was at some point the Lord's own.

8768. 'You will be to Me a peculiar treasure from among all peoples' means that at that time Divine Truth will exist with them more than with others. This is clear from the meaning of 'being Jehovah's (or the Lord's) peculiar treasure' as being the Lord's, for 'a peculiar treasure' is something especially one's own, and so a possession. Those among whom the Word exists are meant, the reason for this being that those who have the Word, that is, where the Church exists, are called the Lord's own more than others; and that these are called 'His own' is clear from the Lord's words in John 1:11; 10:2-4. The fact that those who belong to the Church, thus with whom the Word exists, are called 'a peculiar treasure' is clear in David,

Jah has chosen Jacob for Himself, and Israel to be His peculiar treasure. Psalms 135:4.

'Jacob' and 'Israel' are plainly those who belong to the Church, among whom the Word exists. Likewise in Moses,

You are a holy people to Jehovah your God; Jehovah your God has chosen you to be for Himself a people who are a peculiar treasure, ¹ from among all peoples who are on the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2.

[2] The reason why those who have the Word are more than others a peculiar treasure [to the Lord] and especially His own is that they are acquainted with the truths and forms of the good of faith. This being so, they are able more than others to lead the life of heaven and so be joined to the Lord. For the good that constitutes heaven with a person receives its specific quality from the truths of faith. Thus good becomes more heavenly or more Divine among those who possess genuine truths, which are truths drawn from the Word, though only if they keep them, that is, lead a life in accordance with them. This is shown to be so in Moses,

Today you have declared that Jehovah is your God, and that you will go in His ways, and will keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgements, and will obey His voice. And Jehovah declares to you today that you are for Him a people who are a peculiar treasure, ¹ as He has told you, and that you should keep all His commandments. Deuteronomy 26:17-18.

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