The Bible

 

Genesis 1:13

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13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.

Commentary

 

Meek

  
This is a wall-painting at the Elston Chapel in Nottinghamshire, England. The photograph is part of the Geograph Project, created to collect images of historic sites in the U.K. and Ireland.

The word "meek" is used just a handful of times in the Bible, but it is attributed several times to the Lord and is used in the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, so it has somewhat of a high profile. "The meek" means "people in the good of charity," which means people who love to do what is good for other people and from that love have an understanding of how to serve.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Heaven and Hell #188

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188. The angels of whom the Lord's celestial kingdom consists dwell for the most part in elevated places that appear as mountains of soil; the angels of whom the Lord's spiritual kingdom consists dwell in less elevated places that appear like hills; while the angels in the lowest parts of heaven dwell in places that appear like ledges of stone. These things spring from correspondence, for interior things correspond to higher things, and exterior things to lower things; 1 and this is why in the Word "mountains" signify celestial love, "hills" spiritual love, and "rocks" faith. 2

Footnotes:

1. [Swedenborg's footnote] Arcana Coelestia 2148, 3084, 4599, 5146, 8325).

What is "high" signifies what is internal, and likewise heaven (1735, 2148, 4210, 4599, 8153).

2. [Swedenborg's footnote] In heaven, mountains, hills, rocks, valleys, and lands are seen exactly the same as in the world, (10608).

On the mountains angels who are in the good of love dwell, on the hills those who are in the good of charity, on the rocks those who are in the good of faith (10438).

Therefore in the Word "mountains" signify the good of love (795, 4210, 6435, 8327, 8758, 10438, 10608).

"Hills" signify the good of charity (6435, 10438).

"Rocks" signify the good and truth of faith (8581, 10580).

"Stone," of which rock consists, in like manner signifies the truth of faith (114, 643, 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376).

This is why "mountains" signify heaven (8327, 8805, 9420).

And "the summit of a mountain" signifies the highest part of heaven (9422, 9434, 10608).

Also why the ancients had their holy worship on mountains (796, 2722).

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.