The Bible

 

Genesis 1:9-14 : Third Day of Creation

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9 God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear;" and it was so.

10 God called the dry land "earth," and the gathering together of the waters he called "seas." God saw that it was good.

11 God said, "Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with its seed in it, on the earth;" and it was so.

12 The earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with its seed in it, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.

13 There was evening and there was morning, a third day.

14 God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of sky to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years;

Commentary

 

Seven Practices of Peace - Part 3 of 7 – Cultivating

By Todd Beiswenger


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It's easy to dream big, but it is hard to actually DO big. As we embark on a new life, we need to cultivate new habits. The most sucessful way to do this is start with a tiny habit, much like how Scriptures say the first vegetation to turn up was "tender herbs", i.e. small plants. Taking care of small plants will lead to bigger ones, and eventually they're bear the fruit of our dreams.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 29 [1-2], 8093; Exodus 13:17-19; Genesis 1:9-14)

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #340

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340. That 'she said, I have gained a man, Jehovah' means that with those called Cain faith was known and acknowledged as something existing by itself is clear from what has been stated in the preliminary sections of this chapter. 1 Previously they had not so to speak known what faith was, for what they possessed was a perception of everything that constituted faith. But once they started to make distinct and separate doctrine out of faith they drew on things which had been with them matters of perception and reduced them to doctrine. This doctrine they called 'I have gained a man, Jehovah', as though they had come upon something new. So that which had previously been written on the heart was now made into factual knowledge. In early times people used to find a name for anything that was new, and used to attach explanations as to what such names embodied. For example, to indicate what Ishmael meant, the explanation was added, Jehovah hearkened to her affliction', Genesis 16:11; what Reuben meant, 'Jehovah has seen my affliction', Genesis 29:32; what Simeon meant, 'Jehovah heard that she was less loved', ibid. Verse 33; and what Judah meant, 'This time I will confess Jehovah', ibid. Verse 35. The altar built by Moses was called 'Jehovah is my banner', Exodus 17:15. And here likewise doctrine concerning faith is called 'I have gained a man, Jehovah', which is what Cain meant.

Footnotes:

1. i.e. in 337

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.