103. We can tell from the books of Moses that there was a Word among the ancients because he mentioned it and excerpted from it (Numbers 21:14-15, 27-30). We can tell that the narrative portions of that Word were called “The Wars of Jehovah, ” and that the prophetic portions were called “Pronouncements.” Moses quoted the following from the historical narratives of that Word:

Therefore it says in The Book of the Wars of Jehovah, “Waheb in Suphah and the rivers Arnon, a watercourse of rivers that goes down to [where] Ar is inhabited and rests along the border of Moab.” (Numbers 21:14-15)

In that Word as in ours, the wars of Jehovah were understood to be, and served to describe in detail, the Lord’s battles against hell and his victories over it when he would come into the world. These same battles are meant and described time after time in the historical narratives of our Word - in Joshua’s battles against the nations of the land of Canaan, for example, and in the wars of the judges and the kings of Israel.

[2] Moses quoted the following from the prophetic portions of that Word:

Therefore those who make pronouncements say, “Come to Heshbon! The city of Sihon will be built up and fortified, because fire has gone out from Heshbon, flame from the city of Sihon. It has devoured Ar of Moab, those who occupy the heights of Arnon. Woe to you, Moab! You have perished, people of Chemosh; he has made his sons fugitives and sent his daughters into captivity to Sihon, king of the Amorites. With arrows we have dealt with them; Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon, and we have spread destruction as far as Nophah, which extends to Medeba.” (Numbers 21:27-30)

Translators change [the title of] this to “Composers of Proverbs, ” but it should be called “Makers of Pronouncements” or “Prophetic Pronouncements, ” as we can tell from the meaning of the word moschalim in Hebrew. It means not only proverbs but also prophetic utterances, as in Numbers 23:7, 18; 24:3, 15 where it says that Balaam gave forth his pronouncement, which was actually a prophetic utterance and was about the Lord. In these instances each of his pronouncements is called a mashal in the singular. There is also the fact that what Moses quoted from this source are not proverbs but prophecies.

[3] We can see that this Word was similarly divine or divinely inspired from a passage in Jeremiah where we find almost the same words:

A fire has gone out from Heshbon and a flame from the midst of Sihon, which has devoured the corner of Moab and the top of the children of tumult. Woe to you, Moab! The people of Chemosh have perished, for your sons have been carried off into captivity and your daughters into captivity. (Jeremiah 48:45-46)

Further, both David and Joshua mention another prophetic book of the former Word, The Book of Jasher or The Book of the Righteous One. Here is where David mentions it:

David lamented over Saul and over Jonathan and wrote, “‘To Teach the Children of Judah the Bow.’ (You will find this written in The Book of Jasher.)” (2 Samuel 1:17-18)

Here is where Joshua mentions it:

Joshua said, “‘Come to rest, O sun, in Gibeon; and, O moon, in the valley of Aijalon.’ Is this not written in The Book of Jasher?” (Joshua 10:12-13)

Then too, I have been told that the first seven chapters of Genesis are right there in that ancient Word, so that not the slightest word is missing.

612. The mystery of God shall be consummated, as he hath declared in good tidings (evangelizavit) to his servants the prophets.- That this signifies prediction in the Word concerning the coming of the Lord to be fulfilled when the end of the church is at hand, is evident from the signification of to be consummated as denoting to be fulfilled; and from the signification of the mystery of God which he hath declared in good tidings, as denoting the coming of the Lord, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of his servants the prophets, as denoting the truths of doctrine, in the present case, the Word. That those who are in truths from good are called servants of the Lord, may be seen above (n. 6, 409); and that those who teach doctrine are called prophets, and that in the abstract sense they denote doctrines will be shown below. The reason why the Word is also denoted, is, that the Word is the doctrine of Divine Truth, and was written by the prophets, also that everything of doctrine must be from the Word. It now follows therefore, that by the mystery of God shall be consummated, as he hath declared in good tidings to his servants the prophets, is signified prediction in the Word [concerning the coming] of the Lord to be fulfilled when the end of the church is at hand. This signification of the words is evident from that which precedes and that which follows. In that which immediately precedes it is said, that this shall come to pass "in the days of the voice of the seventh angel," which means, that it shall come to pass when the end of the church is at hand; and in what follows that after the seventh angel had sounded, it is said, "the kingdoms of the world are become our Lord's and his Christ's," and afterwards, that the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple (11:15-19). The same is also further evident from this fact, that when the end of the church is at hand, the Word is opened, and a new church established. This also is meant by the coming of the Lord, for the Lord is the Word; when this therefore is opened the Lord appears. That the Word was opened when the Lord came into the world, is a well-known fact; that it is also now opened by the revelation of the spiritual sense of the Word, may be seen in the small work entitled The White Horse, and in Heaven and Hell 1); and that now is the end of the church, may be seen in the small work on the Last Judgment 33-39, and n. 45-52, and following numbers).

[2] The end of the church is also meant by evening, and the coming of the Lord by morning, in the following passage in Daniel:

"Unto the evening and the morning two thousand three hundred" (8:14, 26).

The evening signifies the end of the former church, and the morning, the coming of the Lord and the beginning of a new church. The signification of morning in these words in Ezekiel is the same:

"An evil, behold, is come. The end is come, the end is come; it hath watched over thee; behold, it is come. The morning cometh upon thee, O thou inhabitant of the land, the time is come" (7:5-7).

By the end here also is signified the end of the church, and by the morning, the coming of the Lord and the beginning of a new church are signified.

Similarly in Zechariah:

"It shall be one day which shall be known to Jehovah, not day nor night; because about the time of evening it shall be light" (14:7).

The one day which shall be known to Jehovah, means the coming of the Lord; the time of evening the end of the church, when all Divine Truth is obscured and falsified; while light signifies the Divine Truth manifested. This new light, or that morning which shall appear at the end of the church, is also here meant by the mystery of God which shall be consummated, as He hath declared in good tidings to His servants the prophets.

[3] Frequent mention is made in the Word of bringing good tidings (evangelizare) and of good tidings (evangelium), and the expressions signify the coming of the Lord, as is evident from the following passages.

Thus in Isaiah:

"O Zion, that bringest good tidings (evangelizatrix), lift up thy voice with strength, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God. Behold, the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength, and his arm shall rule for him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd" (40:9-11).

That these things are said concerning the coming of the Lord is very evident, and therefore Zion and Jerusalem are called bringers of good tidings. By Zion are meant all those who are of the celestial church, and these are they who are in love to the Lord; it is therefore said, "get thee up into the high mountain," the high mountain denoting that love (see above, n. 405). By Jerusalem are meant all those who are of the spiritual church, and these are they who are in the doctrine of genuine truth; it is therefore said, "lift up thy voice with strength which signifies confession from genuine truths. By the cities of Judah, to which it is said, "Behold your God, behold the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength," are signified doctrinals from the Word; cities, signify doctrinals; and Judah signifies the Word. That Zion and Jerusalem are called bringers of good tidings, because good tidings (evangelium), signify the coming of the Lord, is evident, for it is said, "Behold your God, behold the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength." That He will accomplish a judgment, and defend those who acknowledge Him, is signified by, His arm shall rule for him, he shall feed his flock like a shepherd.

[4] Again, in the same prophet:

"How delightful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy king shall reign, when he shall see eye to eye that Jehovah returneth to Zion" (52:7, 8).

These words also are spoken of the Lord's coming, and He is evidently meant by, thy king shall reign, and by, when he shall see eye to eye, that Jehovah returneth to Zion; similarly what follows in that chapter, this is the reason that mention is made of bringing good tidings. The rest of this verse may be seen explained above (n. 365:30).

So in Nahum:

"Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace. O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts " (1:15).

[5] And in Isaiah:

"The spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to bring good tidings unto the poor; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to the bound, to the blind; to proclaim the year of the good pleasure of Jehovah, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn" (61:1, 2).

That these things are said concerning the Lord and His coming, is evident from what is said in Matthew (5:3, and following verses), and in Luke (4:16-22). The coming itself is meant by the year of the good pleasure of Jehovah, and the day of vengeance for our God. By the poor, the captives, the bound and the blind, to whom the Lord is said to bring good tidings, are meant the Gentiles, who are said to be such, because, not having the Word, they were in ignorance of truth. The Gentiles are also meant in Matthew by "The poor who hear the gospel" (11:4, 5).

[6] And in David:

"Sing unto Jehovah, bless his name; declare the good tidings of his salvation from day to day; for Jehovah cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth; he shall judge the world with justice, and the peoples in his truth" (Psalm 96:2, 13).

The acknowledgment and celebration of the Lord with joy of heart on account of His coming, is signified by "Sing unto Jehovah, bless his name; declare the good tidings of his salvation from day to day." The coming itself is described by "Jehovah cometh"; and because His coming is when the last judgment takes place, it is therefore said, "he cometh to judge the earth; he shall judge the world with justice, and the peoples, in his truth." The earth means the church; the world means those in the church who are in the good of charity; and the peoples, those who are in truths thence. That it is the coming of the Lord when the Last Judgment takes place, was stated above, for then the evil will be separated from the good, or the goats from the sheep, and the evil will be judged to hell, and the good to heaven. This is also signified by the words of Isaiah in the above passage, "to proclaim the day for vengeance for our God, to comfort all that mourn." This is the reason that where the Last Judgment is treated of, mention is also made of declaring good tidings; as also in the following passages in the Apocalypse:

"And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the eternal gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people, saying with a great voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come" (14:6, 7).

That when the end of the church takes place, the coming of the Lord will be proclaimed, is predicted by the Lord Himself in the gospels:

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14; Mark 13:8-10).

[7] That the coming of the Lord is understood by bringing good tidings and by good tidings, is also evident from the following passages.

Thus in Luke:

The angel said to Zacharias, "I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to bring thee these good tidings" (1:19).

And again:

"The angel said to the shepherds, Fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (2:10, 11).

And again, in the same, it is said that John preached good tidings to the people concerning Jesus (3:16-18). And Jesus said, "the law and the prophets" were preached until John (16:16). The Lord Himself and also His disciples declared the good tidings of the kingdom of God (Matthew 4:23; 9:35; Mark 1:15; Luke 7:22; 8:1; 9:1, 2, 6). The kingdom of God, means a new heaven and a new church from the Lord.

[8] Since declaring good tidings signifies to announce the coming of the Lord, hence by the gospel (good tidings), in the highest sense, is signified the Lord Himself as to His coming, as to judgment, and as to the salvation of the faithful, in the following passages in Mark:

Jesus said, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it" (8:35; 10:29, 30).

He said to the disciples:

"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (16:15).