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そこで、彼らは言った、「あなたはどなたですか。わたしたちをつかわした人々に、答を持って行けるようにしていただきたい。あなた自身をだれだと考えるのですか」。
True Christian Religion #85
85. (ii) JEHOVAH GOD CAME DOWN AS THE DIVINE TRUTH, WHICH IS THE WORD, YET HE DID NOT SEPARATE THE DIVINE GOOD FROM IT.
There are two factors which make up the essence of God, the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom, or, what is the same thing, the Divine Good and the Divine Truth. This dual essence of God was proved above (36-48). The same pair is meant in the Word by Jehovah God; Jehovah means the Divine Love or the Divine Good, God the Divine Wisdom or the Divine Truth. Hence these terms are distinguished in various ways in the Word; at one point only Jehovah is named, at another only God. Where the subject is the Divine Good, the name Jehovah is used, where it is the Divine Truth, God; and where both are meant, He is called Jehovah God. It is evident from John that Jehovah God came down as the Divine Truth, which is the Word:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; all things were made through Him, and without Him was nothing made that was made. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, John 1:1, 3, 14.
The reason why the Word there means the Divine Truth is that the Word possessed by the church is Divine Truth itself, for it was dictated by Jehovah Himself, and what Jehovah dictates is pure Divine Truth and could not be anything else.
[2] But because the Word passed through the heavens in its descent to the world, it was made suitable for angels in heaven, and for men in the world. So the Word contains a spiritual sense, in which the Divine Truth is illuminated, and a natural sense, in which the Divine Truth is in shadow. So what is meant in John is the Divine Truth in this Word. This is also plain from the Lord's coming into the world to fulfil everything in the Word. This is why we read so many times that this or that happened to Him 'that the scripture might be fulfilled.' Nothing but the Divine Truth too is meant by 'the Messiah' or 'Christ', or by 'the Son of Man', or by 'the Holy Spirit the Comforter', which the Lord sent after He left the world. In His transfiguration before the three disciples on the mountain (Matthew 17, Mark 9 and Luke 9), and before John in Revelation (Revelation 1:12-16), He represented Himself as that Word, as will be seen in the chapter on the Holy Scripture [222].
[3] It is plain from the Lord's words that in the world He was the Divine Truth:
I am the way, truth and life, John 14:6.
and:
We know that the Son of God came and gave us understanding so that we might know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God, and everlasting life. 1 John 5:20.
This is also shown by His being called 'light', as in these passages, among others:
He was the true light which illuminates every man coming into the world, John 1:4, 9.
Jesus said, For a short while yet the light is with you. Walk so long as you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. So long as you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may be sons of light, John 12:35-36, 46.
I am the light of the world, John 9:5.
Simeon said, My eyes have seen your salvation, a light to be a revelation to the nations, Luke 2:30-32.
This is the judgment, that the light came into the world; he who does the truth, comes to the light, John 3:19-21.
Light means the Divine Truth.
Revelation 1
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This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John,
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who testified to God's word, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.
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Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is at hand.
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John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne;
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and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood;
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and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
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Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
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"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
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I John, your brother and partner with you in oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God's Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
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I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet
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saying, "What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
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I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands.
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And among the lampstands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest.
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His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire.
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His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters.
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He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
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When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, "Don't be afraid. I am the first and the last,
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and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.
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Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter;
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the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven lampstands are seven assemblies.
