The Bible

 

Genesis 1:2

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2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Commentary

 

#65 Jesus the Creator, Jehovah the Redeemer: Understanding the Holy Trinity

By Jonathan S. Rose

Title: Jesus the Creator, Jehovah the Redeemer

Topic: Trinity/Unity

Summary: We explore the unity and trinity in God--how the "Father" relates to the "Son," the "Word," and the "Holy Spirit." Fairly absurd concrete analogies are brought to bear on these important but mystical truths.

Use the reference links below to follow along in the Bible as you watch.

References:
Deuteronomy 30:11-14
Matthew 28:19
1 John 5:7-8
Genesis 1:26-27
Job 19:25
Psalms 19:14; 78:35; 130:7-8
Isaiah 43:1, 3, 11; 44:6
Revelation 1:11, 17; 22:13
Isaiah 44:22-24; Isaiah 48:17, Isaiah 48:20; 49:7, 26; 54:5, 8; 59:20; 60:6; 63:16
Jeremiah 50
Hosea 13:14
Micah 4:10
John 1:1, 3, 14
Ephesians 3:9
Colossians 1:15-17
Hebrews 1:1-2
Revelation 4:11; 11:8
Isaiah 9:6

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Spirit and Life Bible Study broadcast from 11/2/2011. The complete series is available at: www.spiritandlifebiblestudy.com

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #253

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253. It is by virtue of the heavenly and angelic proprium that in the Word the Church is called woman (mulier) as well as wife, and also bride, virgin, and daughter. That it is called 'a woman' may be seen in Revelation,

A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. And the dragon pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. Revelation 12:1, 4-5, 13.

Here 'the woman' is used to mean the Church, 'the sun' to mean love, 'the moon' faith, 'the stars' truths of faith, as previously, which things evil spirits hate and persecute with all their might. That the Church is called 'a woman' as well as 'a wife' may be seen in Isaiah,

For your Maker is your Husband, 1 Jehovah Zebaoth is His name, and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth He is called. For Jehovah has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit and a wife of youth. Isaiah 54:5-6.

Here 'Maker' and 'Husband' are plural nouns because the proprium is the subject as well as [the Church]. 'A woman forsaken' and 'a wife of youth' stand in particular for the Ancient Church and the Most Ancient. Similarly in Malachi,

Jehovah was a witness between you and the wife of your youth. Malachi 2:14.

That the Church is called 'wife' and 'bride' may be seen in Revelation,

I saw the holy city, [the new] Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb Revelation 21:2, 9.

And calling the Church a virgin and a daughter is a common occurrence in the Prophets.

Footnotes:

1. In the original Hebrew the words meaning Maker and Husband are plural at this point.

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