The Bible

 

Genesis 1:20

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20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

Commentary

 

Morning

  
Two gorgeous red poppies -- one popped, and one just about to.

Morning comes with the rising of the sun, and the sun -- which gives life to the earth with its warmth and light -- represents the Lord in His divinity, bringing spiritual life through love and wisdom. Thus, the morning represents the coming of the Lord into our lives, and all the things that flow from it: the love, joy and enlightenment He brings; the peace and tranquility of passing the spiritual obscurity of night; the anticipation of the learning and usefulness of a new day; and the awareness of The Lord's renewed presence.

(References: Apocalypse Explained 179; Apocalypse Revealed 151; Arcana Coelestia 2333 [1-3], 2540, 2780, 5740, 8211, 8812, 10134, 10200, 10413; True Christian Religion 764 [1-2])

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2332

Study this Passage

  
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2332. 'Wash your feet' means accommodation to his natural. This is clear from what has been stated in the previous chapter, in 2162, where the same words occur. In former times when people saw the angel of Jehovah they believed that they were about to die, Exodus 19:12, 21, 24; 20:19, Judges 6:22, 23, Judges 13:22, 23. The reason they did so is that Divine Holiness flowing into the unholiness present with man is so powerful that it seems like a devouring and consuming fire. Consequently when the Lord manifests Himself visibly to man, and even to angels, He in miraculous ways adjusts and moderates the Holy proceeding from Himself so that they can stand it. Or what amounts to the same, He adapts Himself to their natural. This then is the meaning in the internal sense of these words which Lot addressed to the angels, 'Wash your feet'. This shows the nature of the internal sense, for it cannot be seen from the sense of the letter that this is the meaning.

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