4206. The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor judge between us. That this signifies the Divine flowing into both, namely, into the good which those have who are within the church, and into the good which those have who are outside the church, is evident from the signification of the “God of Abraham,” as being the Divine of the Lord regarding those who are within the church; and from the signification of the “God of Nahor,” as being the Divine of the Lord regarding those who are without the church. From this it is manifest that by these words is signified the Divine flowing into both. The reason why the “God of Abraham” denotes the Divine of the Lord regarding those who are within the church, is that Abraham represents the Divine of the Lord, and consequently that which comes directly from the the Lord, (n. 3245, 3878). Hence they who are within the church are specifically meant by the “sons of Abraham” (John 8:39). And the reason why the “God of Nahor” denotes the Divine of the Lord regarding those who are out of the church, is that Nahor represents the Church of the Gentiles, and his sons those therein who are in brotherhood (n. 2863, 2864, 3052, 3778, 3868). For this reason also Laban, who was Nahor’s son, here represents good that is aside, such as the Gentiles have from the Lord. That such various things of the Lord are represented, is not because various things are in the Lord, but because His Divine is variously received by men. This is like the life in man, which flows in and acts upon the various sensory and motive organs of the body, and upon the various members and viscera, and everywhere presents variety. For the eye sees in one way, the ear hears in another, the tongue perceives in another; so the arms and hands move in one way, and the loins and the feet in a different way; the lungs act in one way and the heart in another; the liver in one way and the stomach in another, and so on; but nevertheless it is one life which actuates them all so variously, not because the life itself acts in different ways, but because it is differently received; for the form of each organ is that according to which the action is determined.

2863. Behold, Milcah, she also hath borne children unto Nahor thy brother. That this signifies those out of the church who are in brotherhood from good, is also evident from what was said before respecting Milcah and Nahor (n. 1363, 1369, 1370). For Terah had three sons, Abraham, Nahor, and Haran; and that they worshiped other gods may be seen above (n. 1356). Milcah was the daughter of Haran, who became Nahor’s wife (n. 2369). And Haran died upon the faces of Terah in Ur of the Chaldees (n. 1365-1368). Hence it is evident what is signified by “Milcah” and “Nahor,” namely, by “Milcah” the truth of those nations, and by “Nahor” their good.

[2] That there were truths among the Gentiles is evident from many things, for it is known that formerly there was wisdom and intelligence among the nations, as that they acknowledged one God, and wrote concerning Him in a holy manner; also that they acknowledged the immortality of the soul, and the life after death, and also the happiness of the good and the unhappiness of the evil; and further that they had for their law the precepts of the Decalogue, namely, that God is to be worshiped, that parents are to be honored, that men must not kill, steal, commit adultery, nor covet the property of others; nor were they content to be of this character in externals, but were so in internals.

[3] It is the same at this day; the better behaved Gentiles from all parts of the earth sometimes speak better on such subjects than Christians do; nor do they merely speak better things, but also live according to them. These and many other truths are among the Gentiles, and conjoin themselves with the good which they have from the Lord, from the conjunction of which they are in a state to receive still more truths, because one truth recognizes another, and truths easily consociate themselves together, for they are connected with and related to each other. Hence it is that they who have been in good in the world easily receive the truths of faith in the other life. The falsities that are with them do not conjoin themselves with their good, but only apply themselves to it in such manner as to be separable from it. The falsities which have been conjoined remain, but those which have been merely applied are separated; and they are separated at the time when the men learn the truths of faith and imbue themselves with them. Every truth of faith removes and separates what is false, so that at length the man is averse to it and shuns it. From all this we can see what kind of persons are signified by the sons whom Milcah bare to Nahor, Abraham’s brother, namely, those out of the church who are in brotherhood from good.