The Bible

 

Genesis 1:3

Study

       

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Commentary

 

Resurrection, the first

  

'The first resurrection,' mentioned in Revelation 20:5, 6, does not mean a first resurrection, but the essence and primary part of resurrection, which is salvation and eternal life. There is only one resurrection to life. A second does not happen, and is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible.

(References: Apocalypse Explained 6; Apocalypse Revealed 851; Revelation 20:5-6)

Commentary

 

Nazarites

  

'Nazarites' represent the Lord regarding His divine human, especially His divine natural. 'Nazarites,' in the Israelitish churches, represent the Lord regarding the Word in its literal sense. 'Nazarites' represent the Lord regarding His divine human, and therefore, the person of the celestial church, who is a likeness of the Lord. 'The hair' represents the natural level of that person. When they Nazarites were sanctified, they were to put off their old or former natural self, which they were born into, and were to put on the new self. This is what is signified, 'that when the days were fulfilled, in which they should separate themselves to Jehovah, they should let down the hair of their head, and should put it on the fire beneath the sacrifice.' The state of the celestial self is that he is in good, and from good, he knows all truths. He never thinks and speaks from truths concerning good, still less from scientific ideas concerning good. The order of Nazarites was instituted to represent the conjunction of the external self with the internal, and thus the conjunction of the celestial paradise with the earthly paradise. This conjunction, which cannot be effected in a person, could nevertheless be represented. Therefore, an image of the Lord could be exhibited, who alone conjoined both in Himself. A 'Nazarite' is holy not only regarding his internal faculties, but also in his body.

(References: Apocalypse Explained 364; Arcana Coelestia 3300)