THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 9

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation)

1. FOR the gloom shall not be [such] as was its oppression in the former time, when He despised the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time He will honour them by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

Verse 1. That these words were spoken in Isaiah concerning the Lord is evident, for it is said that "it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet." (Matthew 4:14-16)

Wherefore "the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali" also "Galilee of the Gentiles", or nations, signify the establishment of the church with the Gentiles, who are in the good of life and receive truths, and thus are in the conjunction of Truth and Good, and in combat against evils and falsities. That the establishment of the church and reformation of such Gentiles is there understood, is also evident from the series of the expressions; as that "it was beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles", and also that "the people sitting in darkness saw a great light, and to them that sit in the region and shadow of death light is arisen."

By Zebulun and Naphtali, " in the supreme sense, is signified the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human of the Lord by means of temptations admitted into Himself, and victories therein obtained by His own proper power. Apocalypse Explained 447.

2. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelled in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined.

Verse 2. The people that walked in darkness, etc. - Hitherto it has been shown that by "darkness", in the Word, is signified the false of evil, but "darkness" also signifies the false not of evil, such as the falsities of religion with the upright Gentiles, originating in ignorance of the Truth. "Darkness" also signifies the falsities of ignorance, such as formerly existed, and such as at this day exist with the upright Gentiles; these falsities are altogether distinct from the falsities of evil, for the latter contain in themselves evil, because they are from evil; whereas the former contain In themselves good, for they have good for an end; wherefore they who are principled in these falsities can be instructed in truths; and also when they are instructed they receive truth in the heart, by reason that the good which is in their falsities loves the truth, and also conjoins itself with the truth when it is heard. The case is otherwise with the falsities of evil these holding Truth in aversion and abhorrence, and this for no other reason than because it is Truth, and thus does not agree with their evils, Apocalypse Explained 526.

By "dwelling in the land of the shadow of death" is denoted the state of those who are in ignorance of good and of truth. Arcana Coelestia 3384.

To "see a great light" denotes to receive and believe the truths which are of faith. Upon those who are principled in faith heavenly light is said to shine forth, for the light which is in heaven is Divine Truth derived from Divine Good. Arcana Coelestia 3863.

3. You have multiplied the nation, You have increased their joy: they rejoice before you, as with the joy of harvest; as they exult who divide the spoil.

Verses 2, 3. The people and nations, etc. - These passages treat concerning the Lord, and by "peoples and nations" are understood all who are of His church; for all who are of the church of the Lord are either of His celestial kingdom or of His spiritual kingdom: besides those who are in those two kingdoms there are no other who belong to the church. There are also two things which constitute the church - the Good and the True, both from the Lord.

By "nations" are understood those who are in the Good, and by "peoples " those who are in the True; and abstractedly from persons, by "nations" are signified the goods of the church, and by "peoples", the truths thereof. The reason why by "peoples" are signified the truths of the church is, because spiritual good, or the good of charity towards our neighbour, in which they are who are understood by "peoples", in its essence, is Truth. Hence there is a discrimination between those who are of the celestial kingdom of the Lord and those who are of His spiritual kingdom. Apocalypse Explained 331.

4. For the yoke of their burden, the staff of their shoulder, the rod of their oppressor, have You broken, as in the day of Midian.

5. For every warlike band shall be dismayed by the earthquake; all the garment rolled in bloods shall be for burning, even food for the fire.

Verse 4. The yoke of their burden, the stall' of their shoulder; etc. - Treating of the Gentiles or nations who were in falsities from ignorance, because they had not the Word, and to whom the Lord consequently was not known. The evil with which they were burdened, and the falsities whereby they were infested, are signified by "the yoke of the burden, the staff of the shoulder, and the rod of the oppressor or exactor"; the destruction thereof is signified by "breaking them", for "to break" is predicated of a yoke, a staff, and a rod; and "to destroy" is predicated of evil and the false, which heavily oppress, powerfully persuade, and compel to obedience. Apocalypse Explained 727.

To "carry on the shoulder", when subjection is treated of, signifies bondage. Arcana Coelestia 9836.

5. For every warlike band shall be dismayed by the earthquake; all the garment rolled in bloods shall be for burning, even food for the fire.

Verse 5. By the earthquake, etc. - "Earthquake" signifies the perversion of the church by the falsification of truth; and "bloods", the falsification of the literal sense of the Word. Apocalypse Explained 329.

6. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The Father of Eternity, The Prince of Peace.

Verse 6. Unto us a Child is born, etc. - The advent of the Lord is there treated of, concerning whom it is said, "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given", because by "Child", in the Word, is signified good, here the Divine Good; and by "Son" is signified truth; here the Divine Truth; which are thus mentioned on account of the marriage of Good and Truth, which is in every particular of the Word; and inasmuch as the Divine Good and Divine Truth are from the Lord, therefore He is called" the Prince of Peace", and it is said "there shall be no end of His government and peace." "Government" is predicated of Divine Truth, and "Peace", of Divine Good conjoined to Divine Truth, whence He is called "the Prince of Peace." That "prince" is predicated of truths, and that the principal Truth is thereby signified, may be seen above, Apocalypse Explained 29; and that "peace" is predicated of the conjunction of Good and Truth, may be seen above in this article. Apocalypse Explained 365.

Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son a Son is given, etc. (Isaiah 9:6)

And in the, same Prophet, (Isaiah 7:14) "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son; and she shall call His name IMMANUEL." That by "the Child born and the Son given" is here understood the Lord as to the Divine Human, is evident; and that the Lord as to that principle also is God, thus that His Human is Divine, is manifestly declared, for it, is said; that "His name shall be called the mighty God, God-with-us, the Father of Eternity." See above, Chapter 7:14, the Exposition.

The mighty God, the Father of Eternity, the Prince of Peace. - That all the names in this prophecy are predicated of the Lord in His Divine Humanity is evident. That the Lord is the God of heaven cannot be doubted by those who belong to the church, for He Himself taught that "all things of the Father are His"; (Matthew 11:27; John 16:15; 17:2) and that "He has all power in heaven and in earth." (Matthew 28:18)

He says "in heaven and in earth", because He that governs heaven, governs the earth also, for the one depends on the other. To "govern heaven and earth", signifies to receive from Him all the Good which is the object of love, and all the Truth which is the object of faith, thus all intelligence and wisdom, and thereby all happiness; in short, eternal life.

This the Lord also taught when He said,

"He that believes on the Son has everlasting life; and he that believes not the Son, shall not see life." (John 3:36)

Again,

"I am the resurrection and the life; he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believes in Me, shall never die." (John 11:25, 26)

And again,

"I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6) Heaven and Hell 5.

The Father of Eternity. - All infants, of whom a third part of heaven consists, are initiated into the acknowledgement and faith that the Lord is their Father; and afterwards, that He is the Lord of all, and consequently the God, of heaven and earth. That infants grow up in the heavens and are perfected by means of knowledges, even to angelic intelligence and wisdom, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 329-345, and Heaven and Hell 4.

The Lord is called "the Prince of Peace", because He is Peace itself. Innocence and Peace are the two inmost principles of heaven; they are called "inmost principles", because they proceed immediately from the Lord; for the Lord is Innocence itself and Peace itself. The Lord, from innocence, is called a "Lamb", and from peace says - "Peace I leave to you, My peace I give to you"; (John 14:27) and is also meant by the "peace" with which the disciples were to salute a city or a house which they entered, and of which it is said that "if it was worthy, peace would come upon it, and if not worthy, peace would return.". (Matthew 10:11-15)

Hence also the Lord is called "the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

A further reason why Innocence and Peace are the inmost principles of heaven, is, because innocence is the esse of all Good" and peace is the blessed principle of every delight which is of Good. See the work on Heaven and Hell, In respect to the state of Innocence of the angels of Heaven, n. 276-283; and in respect to Peace in Heaven, n. 284-290. Conjugial Love 394.

7. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end; upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to strengthen it, in judgment and in justice, henceforth and for ever: the zeal of Jehovah of Hosts will do this.

Verse 7. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, etc. - "Speaking of the Lord and His kingdom. His spiritual kingdom is signified by the "throne of David", and because this kingdom is in divine Truths from divine Good, It is said "to establish it in judgment and in justice." That "judgment" and "judgments" signify divine Truths, is, because the laws of government in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are called Judgments, but the laws of government in the Lord's celestial kingdom are called Justice; for the laws of government in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are laws from divine Truth and the laws of government in the Lord's celestial kingdom are laws from divine Good. Hence it is that in the Word mention is made of "judgment and justice" in very many places, as in Isaiah 9:7; 33:5; Jeremiah 9:24; 33:5; Hosea 2:19, 20. Apocalypse Explained 946.

Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to strengthen it in judgment and in justice, etc. - "In justice and in judgment" denotes in the truths of faith and in the good things of charity. Arcana Coelestia 2235.

The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts will do this. - "The zeal of Jehovah will do this", signifies that He will do it from an ardent love of saving the human race. "Zeal" is predicated of Good; but the phrase "zealous [or jealous] God" is employed in respect to those who do not reserve the divine Truth of the divine Good of the Lord, and it consequently denotes what is false and evil. For they who are in the opposite principle perceive divine Truth as the false and divine Good as evil. For everyone sees those principles from his own quality. Hence it is that the "zeal" of the Lord, which in itself is love and pity, appears to them as anger; for when the Lord, out of love and mercy, protects His own in heaven, they who are in evil are indignant and angry against the good, and rush into the sphere where the divine Truth and divine Good are, with the attempt to destroy those who are in that sphere; and in this case the divine Truth of the divine Good operates upon them, and makes them sensible of torments such as exist in hell; hence it is that they ascribe to the Divine [Being]wrath and anger, and also all evil, whereas in the Divine there is nothing at all of anger, and nothing whatever of evil, but pure clemency and mercy. It is to be noted that Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is especially called "zealous" or "avenger", when that principle is corrupted which ought, universally to reign with the man of the church, namely, the Divine principle [which is love to the Lord above all things, and the love of the neighbour as ourselves]. This principle ought above all things to be loved, to be thought of, and to be feared; for when this divine principle is corrupted or destroyed, then instead of heavenly light, mere thick darkness usurps its place, for there is no longer any influx thereof from the Divine, because there is no reception. Arcana Coelestia 8875.

8. The Lord has sent a Word into Jacob and it has fallen in Israel.

9. And all the people shall know, Ephraim, and the inhabitant of Samaria; in pride and arrogance of heart; saying,

Verse 8. The Lord has sent a Word, etc. "Word." here signifies the doctrine of internal and external worship; "Jacob", external worship; and "Israel", internal. Arcana Coelestia 1288.

Verses 9, 10. Ephraim and Samaria shall know, in pride and arrogance of heart, saying, The bricks have fallen, but we will build with hewn stone, etc. - That "Ephraim" signifies the understanding of the Word, either in a good or bad sense, see above, Chapter 7:2, the Exposition.

"Stone", in the Word, signifies Truth; hence "brick", as being made by man, signifies what is false; for brick is stone artificially made. That "brick" has this signification, may also appear from the following passages, as in Isaiah, "I have spread My hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts; who sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense upon bricks." (Isaiah 65:2, 3)

To "burn incense upon bricks", signifies to perform worship grounded in what is fallacious and false; wherefore they are said to "walk after their own thoughts."

Again, in the same Prophet,

"All the people shall know, even Ephraim, and the inhabitants of Samaria, that say in pride and arrogance of heart, The bricks have fallen, but we will build with hewn stone" (Isaiah 9:9, 10), where "Ephraim" denotes one that is intelligent, who is fallen into perverseness, and who calls falsities or "bricks" truths, or [by falsification] makes them so"; hewn stone" signifies what is fictitious.

See also Nahum 3:14, 15; Ezekiel 4:1. Arcana Coelestia 1296. [What is meant by "making bricks" to build the tower of Babel, may be seen in the same number.]

We will build with hewn stone. - To "build altars with hewn stone" is to devise and concoct doctrines from self-intelligence, and not from the Word. For "hewn stones", as will now be shown, signify doctrines derived from man's own intelligence, formed for the purpose of maintaining some selfish and worldly principles, as of honour, gain, power, etc., and not from the Word, for the purpose of salvation and of eternal ends.

"Stones", not cut or hewn, signify truths, (see Arcana Coelestia 8940) but to "cut" or to "hew" them denotes to hatch or devise truths, or such things as are like truths, from the proprium, or from self-intelligence; for those things which are hatched or devised from the proprium, or from self-intelligence, have life from man, which life is no life, for the proprium of man is nothing but evil, n. Arcana Coelestia 210, 215; whereas the things which are not from the proprium, but from the Divine, have life in them, for all life is from the Divine.

The subject here treated of [in Exodus 20:25] is concerning the worship of the Lord from truth, for this worship is signified by "an altar of stones", Arcana Coelestia 8940. The truths from which the Lord is to be worshipped ought to be taken from the Word only, for in every single thing of the Word there is life from the Divine; when truths are taken from the proprium, they respect and have for an end dignity and eminence over all in the world, and also the possessions of the earth and opulence above all, wherefore they have in them the love of self and of the world, thus all evils in the complex, Arcana Coelestia 7488, 8318; but the truths which are from the Word, respect and have for an end eternal life, and have in them love to the Lord, and love towards the neighbour, thus all goods in the complex. When truths are hatched from the proprium, or from self-intelligence, they domineer over the truths which are from the Divine, for these latter are applied to confirm the former; when yet the contrary ought to be the case, that is, that truths from the Divine ought to have dominion, and those which are from self-intelligence ought to serve. Those which are from the proprium, or from self-intelligence, are called truths, but they are not truths, - they only appear as truths in the external form, for they are rendered like truths by applications from the literal sense of the Word and by reasonings; but in the internal form they are falsities: what and of what quality they are, see above, Arcana Coelestia 8932. There are in the world two religious corruptions which are from self-intelligence; one, in which the love of self and of the world is all; this religious corruption in the Word is called Babel, being inwardly profane by reason of the love of self and of the world, and outwardly holy by reason of the Word, which has been applied to confirm. The other religious corruption is that in which the lumen of nature is all; they who are in it acknowledge nothing for truth which they do not apprehend. Some of this religious corruption acknowledge the Word, but they apply it to confirm, thus to serve; some however do not acknowledge the Word, but place the Divine in nature, for their lumen, inasmuch as it is of nature, falls into nature, nor can it be illustrated by the light of heaven, because they reject the Word, whence all illustration comes. Both they of the latter and of the former religious corruption are in hell, because they are void of heavenly life, which they cannot receive because they have rejected the Word; such of them as have applied the Word to confirm, have made the Word of no account in their hearts, but since its authority prevails amongst the vulgar, they use it for this service, to give weight to the devices derived from self-intelligence. From these considerations it may be manifest what is signified in the spiritual sense by the statute, that "an altar should not be built of hewn stones." (Exodus 20:25)

By "hewn stone" is also signified that which is from self-intelligence in the following passages:

"That the people of Ephraim may know, and the inhabitants of Samaria, because of their arrogance and pride of heart, saying, The "bricks have fallen, but we will build with hewn stone." (Isaiah 9:9, 10)

And in Jeremiah,

"Although I cry and lift up my voice, He obstructs my prayers; He has hedged up my ways with hewn stone, He has overturned my paths." (Lamentations 3:8, 9)

And in Amos,

"Inasmuch as you tread him that is worn, and snatch from him the burden of corn, you shall build houses of hewn stone, but shall not dwell in them." (Amos 5:11)

In these passages, "hewn stone" denotes such things in the doctrines of faith as are from self-intelligence. Inasmuch as those things were signified by "hewn stone", therefore the altar at first erected in the land of Canaan by the sons of Israel, after they had passed Jordan, was built of unhewn stones, for by the "passage over Jordan" was represented introduction into the kingdom of the Lord, which is effected by the truths of faith; concerning that "altar." it is thus written in Joshua:

"Joshua built an altar to the God of Israel in Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded the sons of Israel; an altar of entire stones, upon which he had not moved iron." (Joshua 8:31; Deuteronomy 27:1-8)

The temple of Jerusalem, in like manner, was built of entire stones not hewn, concerning which it is thus written in the first book of the Kings:

"As to the house itself, when it was to be built, it was built of stone entire, as it was brought; for hammer or axe, any instruments of iron, were not heard in the house when it was building" (1 Kings 6:7),

for by the "temple of the Lord" was represented the Lord as to Divine Truth; that the Lord was represented by the "temple", He Himself teaches; (John 2:19, 21, 22) and the reason why He was represented as to Divine Truth was, because it was there taught; wherefore also it was built of stones for by "stones" was signified Divine Truth. (Arcana Coelestia 8940); hence also the Lord Himself was called the "Stone of Israel", (Arcana Coelestia 6426).

From these considerations it is now evident what was signified by the "stone of the altar", and what also by the "stone of the temple", likewise by the "stones being entire", and not hewn" that is, that religion was to be formed of Truths from the Lord, thus from the Word, and not from self-intelligence. Arcana Coelestia 8941.

10. The bricks have fallen, but we will build with hewn stone; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them for cedars:

11. Therefore will Jehovah raise up the adversaries of Retzin against him, and mingle his enemies together;

Verse 10. The sycamores are cut down, but we will change them for cedars. - ["Sycamores", as associated with." bricks", are the knowledges of Truth in the natural mind perverted. (Apocalypse Explained 503, 815)

To "change them for cedars" is to make those perversions appear rational by false reasoning, and thus by falsifications, for the "cedar" corresponds to the rational perception of Truth; (Apocalypse Explained 388, 514, 654), but in the opposite sense the "cedar" signifies the interior pride of self-derived intelligence, (Apocalypse Explained 470) as shown above, Chapter 2:13, the Exposition.]

12. The Syrians from the east, and the Philistines from the west; and they shall devour. Israel with open mouth. For all this His anger is not turned back, but His hand is stretched out still.

13. For this people have not turned unto Him that smote them; and Jehovah of Hosts they have not sought;

Verse 12. The Syrians before, or front the east, and the Philistines behind, or from, the west, shall devour Israel, etc. - That by "Syria", or the "Syrians", is meant the knowledges of good, and in the opposite sense [as in this passage], those knowledges perverted, was shown above. (Chapter 7:4, the Exposition)

The "Philistines" signify, in a bad sense, those who are in the science of knowledges only, and not in the life, and who have rejected the doctrinals of charity, and acknowledged the doctrinals of faith [only]; and because such are principled in the loves of self and of gain, they are called "uncircumicised"; but in a good sense, the "Philistines" signify those who are in the doctrine of faith, and, as to life, in the good of Truth. Arcana Coelestia 3412, 3413, 3463.

Verses 12, 17, 21. His anger is not turned back, etc. - In many parts of the Word, we read of anger, wrath, vengeance, etc., as ascribed to God, but when "anger" is attributed to Jehovah, it does not mean anger, but the opposite to anger, thus mercy. That Jehovah has not any anger, is evident from this consideration, that He is Love itself, Good itself, and Mercy itself, and anger is an opposite, and also an Infirmity which cannot be predicated of God; wherefore when "anger" in the Word is predicated of Jehovah, or the Lord, the angels do not perceive anger, but either mercy or the removal of the evil from heaven. The reason why "anger" is attributed to Jehovah, or the Lord in the Word, is because it is a most general truth that all things come from God, thus both evils and goods; but this most general truth, which is intended for infants, for children, and the simple, ought afterwards to be illustrated, that is, by showing that evils are from man, but that they appear as if they were from God, and that it is so said to the intent that they may learn to fear God, and not perish by the evils which they do, and that afterwards they may love Him; for fear must precede love, to the intent that in love there may be holy fear; for when fear is insinuated into love, it becomes holy from the holy principle of love, and in such case it is not a fear of Lord's anger and punishment, but a fear lest they should act against essential Good, because this will torment the conscience. Moreover, the Israelites and Jews were driven to observe the statutes and precepts in the external form by punishments, and hence they believed that Jehovah was angry and punished, when yet they themselves induced such things by their idolatry; hence by "anger", wrath" are meant the punishments and damnations into which man casts himself, when into evils. That punishment and damnation, are signified by "anger", appears from John 3:36. Arcana Coelestia 6997.

14. Therefore shall Jehovah cut off from Israel the head and the tail; the branch and the rush, in one day:

15. The elder and the honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth falsehood, he is the tail.

16. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led by them shall be swallowed up.

Verses 14, 15. By these words is understood that all intelligence and wisdom is about to perish, and all the knowledge of Truth. By the "head" is signified intelligence and Wisdom, wherefore, it is said, "the elder and the honourable is the head"; for the "elder" signifies the intelligence of truth, and the "honourable", the wisdom of good.

But by the "tail" is signified the sensual scientific principle which is the ultimate of intelligence and wisdom; and when this is not conjoined with spiritual intelligence, it becomes a false scientific principle, or the scientific principle applied to confirm falsities, which is the sensual scientific, such as appertains to the sensual man, who sees nothing from the understanding.

Hence it is that "the prophet who teacheth a falsehood" is called a "tail", for, by a "prophet" is signified the doctrine of truth, and hence the knowledge or truth; but in this case the doctrine is the knowledge of what is false, for "falsehood " or a lie signifies the false, and the "teacher of a lie", him who teacheth the false, by applying scientifics from the literal sense of the Word to the confirmation of falsities. Similar things are signified by " the branch and the rush"; for the "branch" denotes spiritual truth, and the "rush" sensual scientific, which is ultimate truth, for if the prior and the posterior, or the first and the last, do not make one with man, he is not a perfect man. Apocalypse Explained 559.

That the "tail" [in a good sense] signifies Truth in ultimates, and in the opposite sense, falsity, is evident from Isaiah 9:14, 15.

To "cut off the head and the tail", in a spiritual sense, is to destroy what is Good and True; for the church is here treated of, which when devastated the "head" signifies evil, and the "tail" what is false.

That the "head" is goodness, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 4938; in like manner the "old man" or "elder", Arcana Coelestia 6524; that it is a "prophet" who teaches Truth, and in the opposite sense falsity, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2534.

In the opposite sense, therefore, the "head" is evil, and also the "elder" and the "honourable", who do evil; and the "tail", in the opposite sense, is the false; and also the "prophet"; hence it is said, "the teacher of a lie", for a "lie" is the false. Arcana Coelestia 10071.

17. Wherefore the Lord shall not rejoice over their young men; and on their orphans and their widows He shall have no compassion: for every one of them is a hypocrite and an evil-doer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this His anger is not turned back; but His hand is stretched out still.

18. For wickedness burns like a fire: the brier and the thorn it shall consume, and it shall kindle the thicket of the wood; and they shall mount up in a volume of smoke.

Verses 17-19. Every one of them is a hypocrite and an evil doer; for wickedness burns like a fire, etc. - Cupidities from which falsities spring are no otherwise than firebrands kindled at a furnace, as is evident from representatives in the other life, concerning which see from experience, Arcana Coelestia 814, 1528. Such are the cupidities of hatreds of various kinds, of revenge, of cruelty, and of adultery; and this is still more the case with such as have practised deceit, and have mixed these cupidities with hypocrisy. That by a "furnace", by " smoke", and by "fire", such things are meant, when mentioned in the Word, is evident from Isaiah - "Everyone of them is a hypocrite and an evil doer", etc.; (Isaiah 9:17-19) where "fire" is hatred, and the "volume or rising up of smoke" signifies the falsities thence derived. Hatred is described by "a man not sparing his brother." Those who are in such a state, when inspected by angels, appear no otherwise than as here described. Arcana Coelestia 1861.

[For the signification of "orphans and widows" in this passage, see Chapter 10:1, 2, the Exposition, but here in an opposite sense, namely, such as are destitute of the knowledges of what is Good and True; and who, nevertheless, do not desire them, but remain merely natural and unregenerate.]

19. Through the wrath of Jehovah of Hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as food for the fire: a man shall not spare his brother.

20. But he shall cut down on the right hand, and yet be hungry; and he shall devour on the left, and not be satisfied: every man shall devour the flesh of his own arm:

21. Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and these together shall be against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned back, but His hand is stretched out still.

Verses 19-21. Without the spiritual sense no one can understand these words, nor even the subject treated of, which is concerning the extinction of Good by the false, and of Truth by evil. The perversion of the church by the false, is understood by "the land being darkened through the wrath of Jehovah of Hosts"; and the perversion thereof by evil, is understood by the "people becoming food for the fire." "The land darkened", signifies the church where there is not Truth but the false, and "food for the fire" signifies the consuming thereof by the love of evil; "fire" denoting the love of evil. The false destroying the Good, is understood by " a man shall not spare his brother; "man" and "brother" signifying Truth and Good; but, in the present case "man" the false, and " brother" the good, because it is said that "one shall not spare the other. The consequent deprivation of all Good and of all Truth, howsoever it may be inquired after, is understood by the words, "if he shall cut down on the right hand, he shall yet be hungry; and if he shall eat on the left hand, he shall not be satisfied"; the "right hand" signifying good from which truth is derived, and the "left hand", truth from good; to "cut down" and to "eat" those things, signifies to inquire and to hunger after;' and "not to be satisfied", denotes to be deprived.

The extinction of all Truth by evil, and of all Good by the false, is understood by "they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm"; the "flesh of the arm" denoting the power of good by truth; "man" denoting the false, and to "eat or devour" denoting to extinguish.

That all the will of Good and understanding of Truth thence perishes, is understood by "Manasseh eating Ephraim, and Ephraim, Manasseh"; that "Manasseh" is the will of good, and "Ephraim" the understanding of truth, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 3969, 5354, 6222.

That this is the case with those who are in evils and falsities, is understood by "they together against Judah"; for when the will is in good, and the understanding in truth, then they are with Judah, inasmuch as they are both with him; but when the will is in evil, and the understanding in the false, then "they are together against Judah." Apocalypse Explained 386. See also 600, 617.

"To eat the flesh of his own arm", "Manasseh, Ephraim", etc., signifies that the will-principle of the man of the church will be against his intellectual-principle, and vice versa, his intellect against his will. Arcana Coelestia 5354.

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Isaiah Chapter 9

1. FOR the gloom shall not be [such] as was its oppression in the former time, when He despised the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time He will honour them by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

2. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelled in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined.

3. You have multiplied the nation, You have increased their joy: they rejoice before you, as with the joy of harvest; as they exult who divide the spoil.

4. For the yoke of their burden, the staff of their shoulder, the rod of their oppressor, have You broken, as in the day of Midian.

5. For every warlike band shall be dismayed by the earthquake; all the garment rolled in bloods shall be for burning, even food for the fire.

6. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The Father of Eternity, The Prince of Peace.

7. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end; upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to strengthen it, in judgment and in justice, henceforth and for ever: the zeal of Jehovah of Hosts will do this.

8. The Lord has sent a Word into Jacob and it has fallen in Israel.

9. And all the people shall know, Ephraim, and the inhabitant of Samaria; in pride and arrogance of heart; saying,

10. The bricks have fallen, but we will build with hewn stone; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them for cedars:

11. Therefore will Jehovah raise up the adversaries of Retzin against him, and mingle his enemies together;

12. The Syrians from the east, and the Philistines from the west; and they shall devour. Israel with open mouth. For all this His anger is not turned back, but His hand is stretched out still.

13. For this people have not turned unto Him that smote them; and Jehovah of Hosts they have not sought;

14. Therefore shall Jehovah cut off from Israel the head and the tail; the branch and the rush, in one day:

15. The elder and the honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth falsehood, he is the tail.

16. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led by them shall be swallowed up.

17. Wherefore the Lord shall not rejoice over their young men; and on their orphans and their widows He shall have no compassion: for every one of them is a hypocrite and an evil-doer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this His anger is not turned back; but His hand is stretched out still.

18. For wickedness burns like a fire: the brier and the thorn it shall consume, and it shall kindle the thicket of the wood; and they shall mount up in a volume of smoke.

19. Through the wrath of Jehovah of Hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as food for the fire: a man shall not spare his brother.

20. But he shall cut down on the right hand, and yet be hungry; and he shall devour on the left, and not be satisfied: every man shall devour the flesh of his own arm:

21. Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and these together shall be against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned back, but His hand is stretched out still.

815. Verse 11. And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, signifies confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word in favor of faith separated from life, and the consequent falsifications of the truth of the church. This is evident from the signification of "the two beasts" treated of in this chapter, as being the confirmation of those things that are signified by "the dragon," for "the dragon" signifies especially faith alone (See above, n. 714); and "the beast coming up out of the sea" signifies reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life (See also above, n. 774; therefore this "beast" signifies confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word in favor of faith separated from life, and the consequent falsifications of the truth of the church. That "the dragon" is further described by these two "beasts" is evident from verses 2, 4, 11 of this chapter. There are moreover two means by which any heretical dogma may be confirmed, namely, by reasonings from the natural man and by confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word; and these two means are what are signified by these two "beasts." The former "beast" signifies reasonings from the natural man, because the "sea" out of which that beast came up signifies the natural of man, while this "beast" signifies confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word, because the "earth" out of which it came up signifies the church where the Word is. This "beast" signifies also falsifications of the Word, because the Word unless it is falsified can never confirm a false dogma, since all things of the Word are truths; consequently all truths can be confirmed from the Word, but by no means falsities, as can be clearly seen from what has been said above and also from what follows in this chapter.

[2] As passages from the Word have been cited above n. 785 in which "works," "deeds," "working," and "doing" are mentioned, I will now cite passages where "faith" and "believing" are mentioned, but only from the Gospels, and not from the Epistles of the Apostles, and for the reason that the Gospels contain the words of the Lord Himself, all of which have concealed in them a spiritual sense, through which immediate communication with heaven is granted, while the writings of the Apostles contain no such sense, although they are nevertheless useful books for the church.

[3] The passages of the Word where "faith" and "believing" are mentioned are the following. In Matthew:

There came a centurion to the Lord, saying, Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst come under my roof; but say the word only, and my boy shall be healed. Jesus hearing, marveled and said to them that followed Him, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith in Israel. And He said unto the centurion, Go thy way, and as thou hast believed be it done unto thee; and his boy was healed in that hour (Matthew 8:8, 10, 13).

The Lord healed this person and others according to their faith, because the first and primary thing of the church then to be established was to believe that the Lord is God Almighty, for without that faith no church could have been established. For the Lord was the God of heaven and the God of earth, with whom no conjunction is possible except by an acknowledgment of His Divinity, which acknowledgment is faith. The centurion evidently acknowledged the Lord to be God Almighty, for he said, "I am not worthy that Thou shouldst come under my roof; but say the word only, and my boy shall be healed."

[4] In the same:

A woman afflicted with an issue of blood touched the hem of Jesus' garment; for she said within herself, If I shall but touch His garment I shall be healed. Jesus turning and seeing her, said, Daughter be of good cheer, thy faith hath made thee whole; and she was healed in that hour (Matthew 9:20-22).

In the same:

They brought unto Him one sick of the palsy lying on a bed; Jesus seeing their faith, said unto the sick of the palsy, Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven. Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thy house (Matthew 9:2-7; Luke 5:19-25).

In the same:

Two blind men cried, saying, Have mercy on us, Thou Son of David. Jesus said unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They say unto Him, Yea, Lord. Then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it done unto you; and their eyes were opened (Matthew 9:27-30).

No other faith than that which is called historical, which at that time was a miraculous faith, was meant by this faith whereby the sick were healed; consequently by this faith many wrought miracles at that time. This faith was, that the Lord was Almighty, because He was able to do miracles of Himself; for this reason He also allowed Himself to be worshiped, which was not the case with the prophets of the Old Testament, who were not worshiped. But there must always be this historical faith before it becomes a saving faith; for a historical faith becomes a saving faith with man by his learning truths from the Word, and living according to them.

[5] In the same:

A woman of Canaan, whose daughter was vexed by a demon, came and worshiped Jesus, saying, Lord, help me. Jesus said unto her, Great is thy faith; be it done unto thee as thou wilt; and her daughter was healed (Matthew 15:22-28).

In John:

A ruler whose son was sick besought Jesus to heal his son before he died. Jesus said unto him, Go thy way, thy son liveth; and the man believed in the word that Jesus spake unto him. And his servants met him, saying, Thy son liveth. Therefore he believed, and his whole house (John 4:46-53).

In the same:

Jesus finding the man born blind whom He healed, said unto him, Believest thou, then, on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is He, Lord, that I may believe on Him? He said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him and He it is that speaketh with thee. He said, Lord, I believe; and he worshiped Him (John 9:35-38).

In Luke:

Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, whose daughter was dead, Fear not, only believe, and she shall be made whole; and the daughter was raised up again (Luke 8:50, 55).

In the same:

One of the ten lepers that were healed by the Lord, who was a Samaritan, returned and fell upon his face at the feet of Jesus; and Jesus said unto him, Arise, go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole (Luke 17:15, 16, 19).

In the same:

Jesus said to the blind man, Thy faith hath saved thee; and immediately he was able to see (Luke 18:42, 43).

In Mark:

Jesus said to the disciples, when they were unable to heal a certain man's son ¹ who had a dumb spirit; to whom Jesus said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; the father of the boy crying out with tears, said, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief; and he was healed (Mark 9:17, 23, 24).

There were three reasons why faith in the Lord healed these; first, because they acknowledged His Divine omnipotence, and that He was God; secondly, because faith is acknowledgment, and from acknowledgment intuition; and all intuition from acknowledgment makes another to be present; this is a common thing in the spiritual world. So now, when a New Church was to be established by the Lord, it was this intuition from an acknowledgment of the Lord's omnipotence from which they were first to look to the Lord; and from this it is clear what is here meant by faith. The third reason was, that all the diseases healed by the Lord represented and thus signified the spiritual diseases that correspond to these natural diseases; and spiritual diseases can be healed only by the Lord, and in fact by looking to His Divine omnipotence and by repentance of life. This is why He sometimes said, "Thy sins are forgiven thee; go and sin no more." This faith also was represented and signified by their miraculous faith; but the faith by which spiritual diseases are healed by the Lord can be given only through truths from the Word and a life according to them; the truths themselves and the life itself according to them make the quality of the faith. But more about this in what follows.

[6] In John:

When Lazarus was dead, his sister saith, Lord, by this time he stinketh. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, If thou wouldst believe thou shouldst see the glory of God? (John 11:39, 40).

In Luke:

Jesus said to the woman who was a sinner, and who made His feet wet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed His feet, which she also anointed with oil, Thy sins are forgiven thee; thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace (Luke 7:38, 48, 50).

From this it is clear that it was faith in the Lord's omnipotence that healed them, and that the same faith remitted, that is, removed, sins. The reason of this was that this woman not only had faith in the Divine omnipotence of the Lord, but also loved Him, for she kissed His feet. Wherefore the Lord said, "Thy sins are forgiven thee, thy faith hath saved thee," because faith makes the Divine of the Lord to be present, and love conjoins. It is possible, however, for the Lord to be present and not be conjoined; from which it is evident that it is faith from love that saves.

[7] Again:

Jesus said to the disciples in the boat, Why are ye fearful, O ye men of little faith? Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the sea, and there came a great calm (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39-41; Luke 8:24, 25).

Peter, at the Lord's command, went down out of the boat and walked upon the waters; but when the wind became strong he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus took hold of his hand and said, O man of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt (Matthew 14:28-31).

When the disciples could not heal the lunatic, Jesus said unto them, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? and Jesus healed him; and He said to the disciples that they could not heal him by reason of their unbelief (Matthew 17:14, seq.).

Jesus came into His own country, and there they were offended in Him; and Jesus said, A prophet is not without honor save in his own country and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief (Matthew 13:57, 58).

The Lord called the disciples "men of little faith" when they were unable to do miracles in His name, and He was unable to do miracles in His own country because of their unbelief, for the reason that while the disciples believed the Lord to be the Messiah or Christ, also the Son of God, and the prophet of whom it was written in the Word, yet they did not believe that He was God Almighty, and that Jehovah the Father was in Him; and yet so far as they believed Him to be a man, and not at the same time God, His Divine to which omnipotence belongs could not be present with the disciples by faith. For faith presents the Lord as present, as has been said above; but faith in Him as a man only does not present His Divine omnipotence as present. For the same reason those in the world at the present day who look to His Human alone and not at the same time to His Divine, as the Socinians and Arians do, cannot be saved.

[8] And for a like reason the Lord could not do miracles in His own country, for there they had seen Him from infancy like another man; and therefore they were unable to add to that idea the idea of His Divinity; and when that idea is not present while the Lord is present, He is not present in man with Divine omnipotence; for faith presents the Lord as present in man according to the quality of the perception of Him. Other things man does not acknowledge and therefore rejects; for in order that the Lord may operate anything with man by faith the Lord's Divine must be present in man, and not outside of him.

John:

[9] In John:

Many of the multitude believed on Jesus, and said, When the Christ shall come, will He do more signs than those which this one hath done? (John 7:31).

In Mark:

These signs shall follow them that believe: in My name they shall cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the Word by signs following (Mark 16:17-20).

As the Jewish nation believed in Jehovah solely because of miracles, it is evidently a miraculous and not a saving faith that is here meant; for they were external men, and external men are moved to Divine worship only by external things, like miracles which forcibly strike the mind. Moreover, a miraculous faith was the first faith with those among whom a New Church was to be established; and such a faith is also the first with all in the Christian world at this day, and this is why the miracles performed by the Lord were described, and are also now preached. For the first faith with all is a historical faith, and this afterwards becomes a saving faith when man by his life becomes spiritual; for first of all it is to be believed that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that He is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, infinite, and one with the Father. These things must be known; but so far as they are merely known they are historical, and a historical faith presents the Lord as present, because it is a looking to the Lord from His Divine nature. And yet that faith does not save until man lives the life of faith, which is charity; for he then wills and does what he believes, and to will and to do is of the love, and love conjoins to Him whom faith presents as present. The signification of those miracles that the disciples were to do, and that were done by them in the beginning of the Christian church, as casting out demons, speaking with new tongues, and others, may be seen above n. 706.

[10] In Matthew:

Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you (Matthew 17:14-20).

In Mark:

Have the faith of God; for verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou lifted up and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, what he hath said shall be done for him. Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye ask when ye pray, believe that ye shall receive them and ye shall have them (Mark 11:22-24).

In Matthew:

Jesus said to the disciples, If ye have faith and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which has been done to the fig-tree, but even if ye shall say unto this mountain, be thou lifted up and cast into the sea. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask believing in Me, ye shall receive (Matthew 21:21, 22).

In Luke:

If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed ye would say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou rooted up and be thou planted in the sea, and it would obey you (Luke 17:6).

That this is to be understood otherwise than according to the words is evident from its being said to the disciples, that "If they had faith as a grain of mustard seed they would be able to pluck up a mountain or a sycamine tree from its place, and cast it into the sea;" also that "all things whatsoever they asked they should receive;" and yet it is not according to Divine order for one to receive what he asks if he only have faith, or for the disciples to pluck up a mountain or a tree from its place and cast it into the sea. But "faith" here means faith from the Lord, consequently it is called "the faith of God," and he who is in faith from the Lord asks for nothing but what contributes to the Lord's kingdom and to himself for salvation; other things he does not wish, saying in his heart, Why should I ask for what does not contribute to this use? Therefore if he were to ask for anything except what it is granted him from the Lord to ask he would have no faith of God, that is, no faith from the Lord. It is impossible for angels of heaven to wish and so to ask for anything else, and if they were to do so they could have no faith that they would receive it. The Lord compared such faith to the ability and power to cast a mountain or sycamine tree into the sea, because the Lord spake here as well as elsewhere by correspondences, and therefore these words must be understood spiritually. For a "mountain" signifies the love of self and of the world, thus the love of evil; and a "sycamine tree" signifies the faith of that love, which is a faith in falsity from evil, and the "sea" signifies hell; therefore "to pluck up a mountain and cast it into the sea by the faith of God" signifies to cast these loves, which in themselves are diabolical, into hell, and likewise the faith in falsity from evil; and this is done through faith from the Lord. This comparison of the ability and power of faith from the Lord with plucking up and casting a mountain and a sycamine tree into the sea was also made because in the spiritual world such things actually take place. There these loves of evil sometimes appear as mountains, and the faith in falsity from evil as a sycamine tree; and both of these an angel can root up and cast into hell through faith from the Lord. (That a "mountain" signifies love to the Lord, and in the contrary sense the love of self, see above, n. 405, 510; and that a "fig-tree," or a "sycamine tree," signifies the natural man in respect to its goods and truths, and in the contrary sense the same in respect to evils and falsities, see above, n. 403.

[11] So much respecting miraculous faith. Passages from the Gospels respecting saving faith, which is faith in truth from love to the Lord, shall now follow. In John:

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him may not perish but may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him may not perish, but may have eternal life. He that believeth in Him is not judged; but he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God (John 3:14-19).

In the same:

The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand; he that believeth in the Son hath eternal life, but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the anger of God abideth on him (John 3:35, 36).

In the same:

Except ye believe that I am He ye shall die in your sins (John 8:24).

In the same:

They said to Jesus, What shall we do that we may work the works of God? Jesus answering said, This is the work of God, that ye believe in Him whom the Father hath sent. I am the bread of life; he that cometh to Me shall not hunger, and he that believeth in Me shall never thirst. This is the will of Him that sent Me, that everyone that seeth the Son and believeth in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Not that anyone hath seen the Father save He that is with the Father; ² He hath seen the Father. Verily I say unto you, he that believeth in Me hath eternal life. I am the bread of life (John 6:28, 29, 35, 40, 46-48).

In the same:

Jesus said, He that heareth My word and believeth Him that sent Me hath eternal life, and shall not come into judgment, but shall pass from death into life. Verily I say unto you, that the hour shall come when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. Even as the Father hath life in Himself so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself (John 5:24-26).

In the same:

Jesus cried out, saying, If anyone thirst let him come unto Me and drink. He that believeth in Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. These things He said of the Spirit which those believing in Him were to receive. (John 7:37-39).

In the same:

Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in Me, though he die yet shall he live; but everyone who liveth and believeth in Me shall not die to eternity (John 11:25-27).

In the same:

Jesus cried out and said, He that believeth in Me believeth not in Me but in Him that sent Me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in Me may not abide in the darkness. And if anyone hear My words and yet believe not, I judge him not; he that rejecteth Me and receiveth not My words hath one that judgeth him, the word that I have spoken shall judge him at the last day (John 12:44-48).

In the same:

While ye have the light believe in the light, that ye may be sons of light (John 12:36).

In the same:

Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me (John 14:1).

In the same:

As many as received Jesus, to them gave He power to become sons of God, even to them that believe in His name (John 1:12).

In the same:

Many believed in His name, beholding His signs (John 2:23).

In the same:

These are written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye may have life in His name (John 20:31).

In Mark:

Jesus said to the disciples, Going into all the world, preach ye the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned (Mark 16:15, 16).

These and other passages describe saving faith, which is to believe in the Lord; and to believe in Him is also to believe in the Father, because He and the Father are one. "To believe in the Lord" signifies not only to adore and worship Him, but also to live from Him, and one lives from Him when he lives according to the Word which is from Him; therefore "to believe in Him" is to believe that He regenerates man, and gives eternal life to those who are regenerated by Him.

[12] "To believe in His name" has a similar signification as "to believe in Him," since the Lord's "name" signifies every quality of faith and love by which He is to be worshiped, and by which He saves man. This is signified by "His name," because in the spiritual world names that are given to persons are always in accord with the quality of their affection and life, and in consequence the quality of each one is known from his name alone. So when anyone's name is pronounced, and the quality that is meant by the name is loved, that one becomes present, and the two are united as companions and brethren. The quality of the Lord however is everything of faith and love by which He saves man, for that quality is the essence proceeding from Him; therefore when that quality is thought of by man the Lord becomes present with him, and when this quality is loved the Lord is conjoined to him. Thence it is that those who believe in His name have eternal life. This shows how necessary it is that man should know the quality of faith and love, that is, the Lord's "name;" also how necessary it is to love that quality, which comes by doing those things that the Lord has commanded. The names "Jesus" and "Christ" moreover involve this same quality, since "Jesus" means salvation, and "Christ" or "Messiah" Divine truth, which is everything of faith and love as to knowledges, doctrine, and life. When, therefore, these names are mentioned their quality must be thought of and they must live according to it. This is what is meant by the words of the Lord in Matthew:

Jesus said, If two of you on earth shall agree in My name respecting anything that they shall ask it shall be done for them by My Father who is in the heavens. For where two or three are gathered together in My name there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:19, 20).

There is, indeed, a presence of the Lord with all and also a love towards all; and yet man cannot be led and be saved by the Lord except in the measure of his reception of the Lord by faith in Him and love to Him.

[13] This shows how necessary it is for man to know the quality of faith and love, that is, the Lord's name, also to love it, since the Lord can be loved only through His quality. That the Lord, and not the Father, must be approached and must be worshiped in accordance with the quality of the faith and love that is prescribed in the Word the Lord Himself teaches, saying:

That no one has seen the Father at any time but that the Son brings Him forth to view (John 1:18);

Also that no one cometh to the Father except through Him (John 14:6);

Since the Father and He are one (John 10:30).

Therefore to approach the Father and not the Lord is to make two out of one, and thus to worship apart from the Lord the Divine that is in Him. And this destroys in man the idea of Divinity in respect to the Lord, which again makes evident the truth:

That he that believeth in the Son hath eternal life (John 3:36).

[14] That to believe in the Lord is to believe in the Father, the Lord Himself teaches also in John:

He that believeth in Me believeth not in Me but in Him that sent Me; and he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me (John 12:44, 45).

This means that he that believes in the Lord believes in Him not separate from the Father, but in the Father; and it is therefore added, "He that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me." So elsewhere in John:

Believe in God, believe in Me (John 14:1).

In the same:

Philip, believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? Believe Me, that I am in the Father and the Father in Me. Verily I say unto you, He that believeth in Me, the works that I do he shall do also, because I go to My Father (John 14:10-12).

In the same:

In that day ye shall ask in My name; and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; and I go unto the Father. The disciples say, In this we believe that Thou camest forth from God (John 16:26-30).

"To come forth from the Father" signifies to be conceived of Him, and "to go to the Father" signifies to be fully united to Him. That "to come forth from the Father" means to be conceived of Him is clearly evident from His conception (Matthew 1:18-25; and in Luke 1:34, 35). That "to go to the Father" means to be fully united to Him is evident from the glorification of His Human by the passion of the cross, which has been spoken of above; and therefore He says, "In that day ye shall ask in My name," and no more in the name of the Father.

[15] In the same:

Jesus said unto Thomas, Because thou hast seen Me thou hast believed; happy are they that have not seen and yet have believed. And Thomas said, My Lord and my God (John 20:29, 20:28).

It was because the Lord was now fully united to the Divine Itself, which is called the Father, that Thomas called Him his Lord and his God. So elsewhere in the same:

Say ye of Him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of My Father believe me not; though ye believe not Me believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in Me and I in the Father (John 10:36-38).

That the Jews did not believe is evident in John 5:14-17; 10:24-26; 12:37-39; Matthew 21:31-32. The cause of their unbelief was their wish for a Messiah who would exalt them to glory above all the nations in the world; also that they were wholly natural and not spiritual; also that they had falsified the Word, especially where it treats of the Lord and also of themselves. That such were the causes of their unbelief is evident also from the faith of the Jews at this day, who are altogether natural, and know or wish to know scarcely anything about the Lord's kingdom in the heavens. That neither would those in the Christian world at the present day believe that the Lord is one with the Father, and is therefore the God of heaven and earth, is meant by the Lord's words in Luke:

When the Son of man cometh shall He find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8).

But on this subject, the Lord willing, more will be said elsewhere.

Footnotes: