Arcana Coelestia #49
49. Verse 26 And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and they will have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, 1 and over the beasts, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
To people in the Most Ancient Church with whom the Lord spoke face to face, the Lord appeared as Man. (Much can be told about those people, but this is not the time to do so.) For this reason they called nobody man except the Lord and whatever may have been His. They did not even call themselves man, but only the things which they perceived that they had from the Lord, such as every good stemming from love and every truth of faith. These things were said to be human because they were the Lord's.
[2] In the Prophets therefore, in the highest sense, 'man' and 'son of man' are used to mean the Lord. In the internal sense they are used to mean wisdom and intelligence, and so everyone who is regenerate, as in Jeremiah,
I looked to the earth, and behold, a void and an emptiness, and towards the heavens, and behold, they had no light. I looked, and behold there was no man; and all the birds of the air 1 had fled. Jeremiah 4:23, 25.
In Isaiah where in the internal sense 'man' means a regenerate person, the Lord Himself as the One Man is meant in the highest sense,
Thus said Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and He who formed him, It was I that made the earth and it was I that created man upon it; My hands stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host. Isaiah 45:11-13
[3] The Lord was therefore seen by the Prophets as Man, for example by Ezekiel,
Above the firmament in appearance like a sapphire stone there was the likeness of a throne, and above the likeness of a throne, there was a likeness, as the appearance of a Man upon it above. Ezekiel 1:26.
And the One whom Daniel saw was called 'a Son of Man', or what amounts to the same, Man,
I looked, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like the Son of Man was coming; and He came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. And to Him was given dominion and glory and kingdom; and all peoples, nations, and languages will serve Him. His dominion is the dominion of an age, which will not pass away, and His kingdom one that will not perish. Daniel 7:13-14.
[4] Moreover the Lord quite often calls Himself the Son of Man or Man, and, as is done in Daniel, foretells His entry into glory,
They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and glory. Matthew 24:23, 30.
The literal sense of the Word is called 'the clouds of heaven', its internal sense 'power and glory'. The internal sense, in every single detail, focuses exclusively on the Lord and His kingdom. Consequently it is the spiritual sense which contains power and glory.
Footnotes:
1. literally, bird of the heavens (or the skies)
Job 12
2
No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
3
But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4
I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
5
He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
6
The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
7
But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
8
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
9
Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
10
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
11
Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
12
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
13
With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
14
Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
15
Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
16
With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17
He leadeth counsellers away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
18
He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
19
He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
20
He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
21
He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
22
He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
23
He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
24
He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
25
They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
