The Bible

 

Genesis 1:18

Study

       

18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #709

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

709. The name Jehovah is used because now the subject is charity. From verse 9 to the end of the previous chapter Jehovah is not used but God, the reason being that there the subject is the preparation of Noah, or the member of the Church called Noah, as regards things of his understanding, which are matters of faith. Here however it is the preparation of him as regards the things of his will, which are matters of love. When the subject is the things of the understanding, that is, the truths of faith, the name God is used, but when it is those of the will, that is, goods stemming from love, Jehovah is used. For it is not things of the understanding, that is, of faith, that constitute the Church but those of the will which are matters of love. Jehovah is present within love and charity, but not within faith except faith that inheres in love or charity. This also is why in the Word faith is compared to the night, but love to the daytime, as in Genesis 1 where the great lights are mentioned; the greater light, which is the sun and means love, has dominion over the day, while the lesser light, which is the moon and means faith, has dominion over the night, Genesis 1:14, 16. Similarly in the Prophets, Jeremiah 31:35; 33:20; Psalms 136:8-9; also Revelation 8:12.

  
/ 10837  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #8236

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

8236. 'And Jehovah saved Israel on that day from the hand of the Egyptians' means that in this state the Lord protected those belonging to the spiritual Church from any violence on the part of falsities arising from evil. This is clear from the meaning of 'saving' as protecting; from the meaning of 'on that day' as in this state, 'day' meaning state, see 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850; from the representation of 'Israel' as those who belong to the spiritual Church, dealt with often; and from the representation of 'the Egyptians' as those steeped in falsities arising from evil, also dealt with often; from all of which it is evident that 'saving from their hand' is protecting from the violence of those steeped in falsities arising from evil.

  
/ 10837  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.