Arcana Coelestia #3235
3235. 'Abraham took another wife' means a further state which the Lord, whom Abraham represents, passed through - for 'Abraham and Sarah' represented the Lord as regards the Divine Celestial, 'Abraham and Keturah' the Lord as regards the Divine Spiritual. This is clear from what has been stated and shown so far about Abraham and his wife Sarah, and from what is recorded here about Abraham and Keturah. But as it is said that Abraham here represents a further state which the Lord passed through, and that Abraham and Sarah represented the Lord as regards the Divine Celestial, whereas Abraham and Keturah did so as regards the Divine Spiritual, one needs to know what is meant by the Divine Celestial and by the Divine Spiritual. The Divine Celestial and the Divine Spiritual have to do with those people who receive the Lord's Divine, for the Lord is seen by everyone according to the character of the recipient, as becomes clear from what has been stated in 1838, 1861, and is quite evident from the fact that the Lord appears to celestial people in one way but to spiritual in another. For He appears as the sun to those who are celestial, but as the moon to those who are spiritual, 1529-1531, 1838. The Lord appears to celestial people as the sun because in them celestial love, which is love to the Lord, is present, but to spiritual people as the moon because in these spiritual love, which is charity towards the neighbour, is present. The difference is like that between the light of the sun during the daytime and the light of the moon at night, and also between the warmth of both which causes things in the ground to grow. These are what were meant in Genesis 1 by the words,
And God made the two great Lights, the greater Light to have dominion over the day, and the lesser Light to have dominion over the night. Genesis 1:16.
[2] The Lord's kingdom is in general celestial and spiritual, that is, it consists of those who are celestial and of those who are spiritual. And because the Lord's Divine appears to those who are celestial as being celestial, but to those who are spiritual as being spiritual, it is therefore said that Abraham and Sarah represented the Lord as regards the Divine Celestial, but Abraham and Keturah as regards the Divine Spiritual. But as scarcely anyone knows what the celestial is or what the spiritual, and who they are who are celestial or spiritual, please see what has been stated and shown about them already in the following places:
What the celestial is and what the spiritual, 1155, 1577, 1824, 2048, 2184, 2227, 2507.
Who celestial people are and who spiritual, 2088, 2669, 2708, 2715.
The celestial man is a likeness of the Lord and does good from love, whereas the spiritual man is an image of the Lord and does it from faith, 50-52, 1013.
Those who are celestial perceive truth from good and never indulge in reasoning about it, 202, 337, 607, 895, 1121, 2715.
With the celestial man good is implanted in the will part of his mind, but with the spiritual man in the understanding part, within which, in the case of those who are spiritual, a new will is created, 863, 875, 895, 897, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 2256.
From good itself those who are celestial see things without limit, but those who are spiritual, because they reason whether a thing is so, cannot reach even the furthest limit to which the light that the celestial have spreads, 2718.
Compared with those who are celestial those who are spiritual dwell in obscurity, 1043, 2708, 2715.
The Lord came into the world to save those who are spiritual, 2661, 2716, 2833, 2834.
Psalms 22
1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
2
My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don't answer; in the night season, and am not silent.
3
But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel.
4
Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them.
5
They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.
6
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7
All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,
8
"He trusts in Yahweh; let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him."
9
But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust at my mother's breasts.
10
I was thrown on you from my mother's womb. You are my God since my mother bore me.
11
Don't be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is none to help.
12
Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
13
They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring.
14
I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is melted within me.
15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death.
16
For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet.
17
I can count all of my bones. They look and stare at me.
18
They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.
19
But don't be far off, Yahweh. You are my help: hurry to help me.
20
Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.
21
Save me from the lion's mouth! Yes, from the horns of the wild oxen, you have answered me.
22
I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you.
23
You who fear Yahweh, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!
24
For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, Neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.
25
Of you comes my praise in the great assembly. I will pay my vows before those who fear him.
26
The humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise Yahweh who seek after him. Let your hearts live forever.
27
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.
28
For the kingdom is Yahweh's. He is the ruler over the nations.
29
All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can't keep his soul alive.
30
Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.
31
They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it. A Psalm by David.
