The Bible

 

Genesis 1:29

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29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

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 #8192

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8192. 'And the angel of God travelled on' means rearrangement by Divine Truth. This is clear from the meaning here of 'travelling on' as rearrangement, the reason why 'travelling on' means rearrangement being that the pillar of cloud, which was a group of angels, which had previously gone ahead of the children of Israel, now took itself round between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel, thereby bringing darkness among the Egyptians and light among the children of Israel (since these conditions were arranged by the Lord, by means of the angel of God or the pillar travelling round and placing himself between the two camps, 'travelling' here means rearrangement); and from the meaning of 'the angel of God' as Divine Truth, which is likewise the meaning of 'God'. For in the Word when truth is the subject the name 'God' is used, but when good is the subject the name 'Jehovah' appears, 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921, 4402, 7010, 7268, 7873.

[2] As regards 'angels', it should be recognized that in the Word they serve to mean the Lord, 1925, 3039, 4085, which is why the Lord Himself is called 'the angel', 6280, 6831. This being so, Divine Truth is meant by 'angels', for Divine Truth emanating from the Lord makes heaven. It therefore also makes the angels who constitute heaven, for they are angels in the measure that they receive Divine Truth coming from the Lord. This may also be recognized from the consideration that angels altogether refuse to entertain, indeed they loathe the idea of attributing to themselves any truth or goodness, since this is the Lord's with them. That also is why the Lord is said to be the All-in-all of heaven, and why those in heaven are said to be 'in the Lord'. By virtue of Divine Truth which they receive from the Lord angels are also called 'gods' in the Word, 4295, 7268; and the word for God in the original language is for this reason plural.

[3] In addition to all this it should be recognized that in the Word the singular 'angel' may be used when in fact very many are meant. That is so here, where the expression 'the angel of God' is used, meaning the pillar going before the children of Israel, which was composed of very many angels. The Word also refers to angels by name, such as Michael, Raphael, 1 and others. People unacquainted with the internal sense of the Word think that Michael or Raphael is one particular angel who is chief among those who are with him. But none of these names is used in the Word to mean one particular angel; instead some actual function performed by angels is meant, and so also the Lord's Divine Nature in respect of that function.

Footnotes:

1. Raphael is not mentioned in OT or NT, but in the Apocrypha. Gabriel is probably intended.

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