9315. When Mine angel shall go before thee. That this signifies a life in accordance with the commandments of the Lord, is evident from the signification of “going before thee,” when said of the Lord, who is here the “angel of Jehovah,” as being to teach the commandments of faith and of life, thus also a life in accordance with these commandments (that “to go,” and “to journey,” denote to live, see n. 1293, 3335, 4882, 5493, 5605, 8417, 8420, 8557, 8559); and from the signification of “the angel of Jehovah,” as being the Lord as to the Divine Human (of which above, n. 9303, 9306). That the Lord as to the Divine Human is meant by the “angel,” is because the many angels who appeared before the coming of the Lord into the world were Jehovah Himself in a human form, that is, in the form of an angel. This is very evident from the fact that the angels who appeared were called “Jehovah,” as for instance those who appeared to Abraham and were called “Jehovah” (Genesis 18:1, 13-14, 17, 20, 26, 33); also the angel who appeared to Gideon, of whom we read in Judges, and who also was called “Jehovah” (6:12, 14, 16, 22-24); besides others elsewhere. Jehovah Himself in the human form, or what is the same, in the form of an angel, was the Lord.

[2] At that time His Divine Human appeared as an angel; of which the Lord Himself speaks in John:

Jesus said, Abraham rejoiced to see My day; and he saw it, and was glad. Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am (John 8:56, 58).

Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was (John 17:5).

That Jehovah could not appear in any other way, is evident also from the words of the Lord in John:

Ye have not heard the voice of the Father at any time, nor seen His shape (John 5:37).

Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he who is with the Father, he hath seen the Father (John 6:46).

From these passages it may be known what is meant by the Lord from eternity.

[3] The reason why it pleased the Lord to be born a man, was that He might put on the Human actually, and make it Divine, in order to save the human race. Know therefore that the Lord is Jehovah Himself or the Father in a human form, which also the Lord Himself teaches in John:

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

Jesus said, From henceforth ye have known and have seen the Father; He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me (John 14:7, 9, 11).

All things that are Mine are Thine, and all Thine are Mine (John 17:10).

[4] This great mystery is stated in John in these words:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. The same was in the beginning with God. All thing were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father. No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath set Him forth (John 1:1-3, 14, 18);

“the Word” denotes the Divine truth which has been revealed to men; and because this could not be revealed except by Jehovah as a Man, that is, except by Jehovah in a human form, thus by the Lord, therefore it is said, “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word.” It is known in the church that by “the Word” is meant the Lord, because this is plainly said: “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father.” That the Divine truth could not be revealed to men except by Jehovah in a human form, is also clearly stated: “no man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath set Him forth.”

[5] From all this it is evident that the Lord from eternity was Jehovah, or the Father, in a human form; but not yet in the flesh, for an angel has no “flesh.” And because Jehovah or the Father willed to put on the whole human, for the salvation of the human race, therefore He took on the flesh also. Wherefore it is said “God was the Word, and the Word was made flesh.” And in Luke:

Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have (Luke 24:39);

by these words the Lord taught that He was no longer Jehovah under the form of an angel; but that He was Jehovah Man, which is also meant by these words of the Lord:

I came out from the Father, and am come into the world; again I leave the world, and go unto the Father (John 16:28).

(That the Lord when in the world made His Human Divine, see n. 1616, 1725, 1813, 1921, 2025, 2026, 2033, 2034, 2083, 2523, 2751, 2798, 3038, 3043, 3212, 3241, 3318, 3637, 3737, 4065, 4180, 4211, 4237, 4286, 4585, 4687, 4692, 4724, 4738, 4766, 5005, 5045, 5078, 5110, 5256, 6373, 6700, 6716, 6849, 6864, 6872, 7014, 7211, 7499, 8547, 8864, 8865, 8878; also that He expelled all the human that was from the mother, until at last He was not the son of Mary, n. 2159, 2649, 2776, 4963, 5157; see especially n. 3704, 4727, 9303, 9306, and what has been shown about these things in the passages cited in n. 9194, 9199)

3490. GENESIS 27

1. And it came to pass that Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim that he could not see, and he called Esau his elder son, and said unto him, My son; and he said unto him, Behold me.

2. And he said, Behold I pray I am old, I know not the day of my death.

3. And now take I pray thy weapons, thy quiver, and thy bow, and go out to the field, and hunt me a hunting.

4. And make me dainties, such as I have loved, and bring to me, and I will eat, that my soul may bless thee before I die.

5. And Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son; and Esau went to the field to hunt for a hunting, to bring it.

6. And Rebekah said unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,

7. Bring me a hunting, and make me dainties, and I will eat, and will bless thee before Jehovah before my death.

8. And now my son hearken unto my voice, according to that which I command thee.

9. Go now to the flock, and take me from thence two good kids of the she-goats, and I will make them dainties for thy father, such as he loveth.

10. And thou shalt bring to thy father, and he shall eat, that he may bless thee before his death.

11. And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.

12. Peradventure my father will feel me, and I shall be in his eyes as a misleader; and I shall bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing.

13. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse my son; only hearken to my voice, and go, take for me.

14. And he went, and took, and brought to his mother; and his mother made dainties, such as his father loved.

15. And Rebekah took garments of desires of Esau her elder son that were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son.

16. And the skins of the kids of the she-goats she caused to be put upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck.

17. And she gave the dainties, and the bread, which she had made, into the hand of Jacob her son.

18. And he came unto his father and said, My father; and he said, Behold me, who art thou my son?

19. And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou spokest unto me; arise I pray thee, sit, and eat of my hunting, that thy soul may bless me.

20. And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast hastened to find it, my son? And he said, Because Jehovah thy God made it come to meet my face.

21. And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near I pray, and I will feel thee my son, whether thou be my very son Esau, or not.

22. And Jacob came near to Isaac his father, and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

23. And he recognized him not, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; and he blessed him.

24. And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.

25. And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s hunting, that my soul may bless thee; and he brought it near to him, and he did eat, and he brought him wine, and he drank.

26. And Isaac his father said unto him, Come near I pray, and kiss me, my son.

27. And he came near, and kissed him, and he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which Jehovah hath blessed.

28. And God shall give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fat things of the earth, and a multitude of corn and new wine.

29. Peoples shall serve thee, and peoples shall bow down themselves to thee. Be thou a master to thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down themselves to thee; cursed are they that curse thee, and blessed are they that bless thee.

30. And it came to pass as Isaac made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was scarcely yet gone out from the faces of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came from his hunting.

31. And he also made dainties, and brought unto his father, and he said unto his father, Let my father arise and eat of his son’s hunting, that thy soul may bless me.

32. And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn, Esau.

33. And Isaac shuddered with exceeding great shuddering, and said, Who then is he that hath hunted hunting, and brought it to me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and blessed him? Yea, and he shall be blessed.

34. When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, me also, O my father.

35. And he said, Thy brother came with fraud, and hath taken away thy blessing.

36. And he said, Is it not that his name is called Jacob? And he hath supplanted me these two times; he hath taken away my birthright, and behold now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

37. And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold I have made him thy master, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and new vine have I sustained him; and what then shall I do for thee, my son?

38. And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but this one blessing, my father? Bless me, me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

39. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold of the fat things of the earth shall be thy dwelling, and of the dew of heaven from above.

40. And upon thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother, and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion that thou shalt break his yoke from upon thy neck.

41. And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him; and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father draw near, and I will kill Jacob my brother.

42. And the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah; and she sent and called unto Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold Esau thy brother comforteth himself concerning thee to kill thee.

43. And now, my son, hearken unto my voice, and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran.

44. And tarry with him some days until thy brother’s wrath turn away;

45. Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him, and I will send and take thee from thence; why should I be bereaved even of you both in one day?

46. And Rebekah said to Isaac, I loathe my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob should take a woman of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, wherefore have I lives?

THE CONTENTS.

In the preceding chapters, where Isaac and Rebekah are treated of, the subject in the internal sense is the rational, and how the Lord made it Divine in Himself. In the present chapter, in the internal sense, the subject is the natural, and how the Lord made it Divine in Himself. “Esau” is the good thereof, and “Jacob” the truth. For when the Lord was in the world He made His whole Human Divine in Himself, both the interior Human which is the rational, and the exterior Human which is the natural, and also the very corporeal, and this according to Divine order, according to which the Lord also makes new or regenerates man. And therefore in the representative sense the regeneration of man as to his natural is also here treated of, in which sense “Esau” is the good of the natural, and “Jacob” the truth thereof, and yet both Divine, because all the good and truth in one who is regenerate are from the Lord.