Heaven and Hell #129
129. Because the Lord in the heavens is divine truth and divine truth there is light, the Lord is called "light" in the Word, as is the truth that comes from him. Note the following passages:
Jesus said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:5)
Jesus said, For a little while longer the light is with you; walk while you have the light, to prevent the darkness from overtaking you. While you have light, believe in the light, so that you may be children of light. I have come as a light into the world, so that anyone who believes in me may not remain in darkness. (John 12:35-36, 40 [46])
Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness more than light. (John 3:19)
John said of the Lord, his is the true light that enlightens everyone. (John 1:4, 9)
The people that sit in darkness will see a great light, and for those who were sitting in the shadow of death, a light has risen. (Matthew 4:16)
I will make you a covenant of the people, a light of the nations. (Isaiah 42:6)
I have established you as the light of the nations, so that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6)
The nations that have been saved will walk toward his light. (Revelation 21:24)
Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me. (Psalms 43:3)
In these and other passages, the Lord is called "light" by reason of the divine truth that comes from him, and that truth itself is called "light" as well. Because the Lord as the sun is light in the heavens, when he was transfigured before Peter, James, and John
His face shone like the sun and his garments as light, sparkling and white as snow, as no fuller on earth could bleach them. (Mark 9:3, Matthew 17:2)
The reason the Lord's garments looked as they did was that they were images of the divine truth that comes from him in the heavens. Garments in the Word mean truths as well, 1 so it says in David, "Jehovah, you clothe yourself with light as a garment" (Psalms 104:2).
Footnotes:
1. [Swedenborg's footnote] Garments in the Word mean the truths that clothe what is good: 1073, 2576, 5248, 5319, 5954, 9216, 9952, 10536. The garments of the Lord when he was transfigured meant the divine truth that emanates from his divine love: 9212, 9216.
