9372. And He said unto Moses. That this signifies that which concerns the Word in general, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the Word (of which below); and from the signification of “He said,” as involving those things which follow in this chapter, thus those which concern the Word (see n. 9370). (That Moses represents the Word, can be seen from what has been often shown before about Moses, as from the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 4859, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8601, 8760, 8787, 8805.) Here Moses represents the Word in general, because it is said of him in what follows, that he alone should come near unto Jehovah (verse 2); and also that, being called unto out of the midst of the cloud, he entered into it, and went up the mount (verses 16-18).

[2] In the Word there are many who represent the Lord in respect to truth Divine, or in respect to the Word; but chief among them are Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. That Moses does so, can be seen in the explications just cited above; that so do Elijah and Elisha, can be seen in the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 2762, 5247; and that John the Baptist does so is evident from the fact that he was “Elias who was to come.” He who does not know that John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, cannot know what all those things infold and signify which are said about him in the New Testament; and therefore in order that this secret may stand open, and that at the same time it may appear that Elias, and also Moses, who were seen when the Lord was transfigured, signified the Word, some things may here be quoted which are spoken about John the Baptist; as in Matthew:

After the messengers of John had departed, Jesus began to speak concerning John, saying, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken by the wind? But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft things are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, even more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send Mine angel before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee. Verily I say unto you, Among those who are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye are willing to believe, he is Elias who was to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear (Matthew 11:7-15; and also Luke 7:24-28).

No one can know how these things are to be understood, unless he knows that this John represented the Lord as to the Word, and unless he also knows from the internal sense what is signified by “the wilderness” in which he was, also what by “a reed shaken by the wind,” and likewise by “soft raiment in kings’ houses;” and further what is signified by his being “more than a prophet,” and by “none among those who are born of women being greater than he, and nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he,” and lastly by his being “Elias.” For without a deeper sense, all these words are uttered merely from some comparison, and not from anything of weight.

[3] But it is very different when by John is understood the Lord as to the Word, or the Word representatively. Then by “the wilderness of Judea in which John was” is signified the state in which the Word was at the time when the Lord came into the world, namely, that it was “in the wilderness,” that is, it was in obscurity so great that the Lord was not at all acknowledged, neither was anything known about His heavenly kingdom; when yet all the prophets prophesied about Him, and about His kingdom, that it was to endure forever. (That “a wilderness” denotes such obscurity, see n. 2708, 4736, 7313.) For this reason the Word is compared to “a reed shaken by the wind” when it is explained at pleasure; for in the internal sense “a reed” denotes truth in the ultimate, such as is the Word in the letter.

[4] That the Word in the ultimate, or in the letter, is crude and obscure in the sight of men; but that in the internal sense it is soft and shining, is signified by their “not seeing a man clothed in soft raiment, for behold those who wear soft things are in kings’ houses.” That such things are signified by these words, is plain from the signification of “raiment,” or “garments,” as being truths (n. 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 6914, 6918, 9093); and for this reason the angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining according to the truths from good with them (n. 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216). The same is evident from the signification of “kings’ houses,” as being the abodes of the angels, and in the universal sense, the heavens; for “houses” are so called from good (n. 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4622, 4982, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997); and “kings,” from truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148). Therefore by virtue of their reception of truth from the Lord, the angels are called “sons of the kingdom,” “sons of the king,” and also “kings.”

[5] That the Word is more than any doctrine in the world, and more than any truth in the world, is signified by “what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet;” and by, “there hath not arisen among those who are born of women a greater than John the Baptist;” for in the internal sense “a prophet” denotes doctrine (n. 2534, 7269); and “those who are born,” or are the sons, “of women” denote truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3704, 4257).

[6] That in the internal sense, or such as it is in heaven, the Word is in a degree above the Word in the external sense, or such as it is in the world, and such as John the Baptist taught, is signified by, “he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he;” for as perceived in heaven the Word is of wisdom so great that it transcends all human apprehension. That the prophecies about the Lord and His coming, and that the representatives of the Lord and of His kingdom, ceased when the Lord came into the world, is signified by, “all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” That the Word was represented by John, as by Elijah, is signified by his being “Elias who is to come.”

[7] The same is signified by these words in Matthew:

The disciples asked Jesus, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? He answered and said, Elias must needs first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias hath come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them. And they understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist (Matthew 17:10-13).

That “Elias hath come, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished” signifies that the Word has indeed taught them that the Lord is to come, but that still they did not wish to comprehend, interpreting it in favor of the rule of self, and thus extinguishing what is Divine in it. That they would do the same with the truth Divine itself, is signified by “even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them.” (That “the Son of man” denotes the Lord as to truth Divine, see n. 2803, 2813, 3704)

[8] From all this it is now evident what is meant by the prophecy about John in Malachi:

Behold I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh (Malachi 4:5).

Moreover, the Word in the ultimate, or such as it is in the external form in which it appears before man in the world, is described by the “clothing” and “food” of John the Baptist, in Matthew:

John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, had His clothing of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:1, 4).

In like manner it is described by Elijah in the second book of Kings:

He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins (2 Kings 1:8).

By “clothing,” or a “garment,” when said of the Word, is signified truth Divine there in the ultimate form; by “camel’s hair” are signified memory-truths such as appear there before a man in the world; by the “leathern girdle” is signified the external bond connecting and keeping in order all the interior things; by “food” is signified spiritual nourishment from the knowledges of truth and of good out of the Word; by “locusts” are signified ultimate or most general truths; and by “wild honey” their pleasantness.

[9] That such things are signified by “clothing” and “food” has its origin in the representatives of the other life, where all appear clothed according to truths from good, and where food also is represented according to the desires of acquiring knowledge and growing wise. From this it is that “clothing,” or a “garment,” denotes truth (as may be seen from the citations above; and that “food” or “meat” denotes spiritual nourishment, n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003; that “a girdle” denotes a bond which gathers up and holds together interior things, n. 9341; that “leather” denotes what is external, n. 3540; and thus “a leathern girdle” denotes an external bond; that “hairs” denote ultimate or most general truths, n. 3301, 5569-5573; that “a camel” denotes memory-knowledge in general, n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156; that “a locust” denotes nourishing truth in the extremes, n. 7643; and that “honey” denotes the pleasantness thereof, n. 5620, 6857, 8056). It is called “wild honey,” or “honey of the field,” because by “a field” is signified the church (n. 2971, 3317, 3766, 7502, 7571, 9139, 9295). He who does not know that such things are signified, cannot possibly know why Elijah and John were so clothed. And yet that these things signified something peculiar to these prophets, can be thought by everyone who thinks well about the Word.

[10] Because John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, therefore also when he spoke of the Lord, who was the Word itself, he said of himself that he was “not Elias, nor the prophet,” and that he was “not worthy to loose the latchet of the Lord’s shoe,” as in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The Jews from Jerusalem, priests and Levites, asked John who he was. And he confessed, and denied not, I am not the Christ. Therefore they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? But he said, I am not. Art thou the prophet? He answered, No. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. They said therefore, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? He answered, I baptize with water; in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not; He it is who is to come after me, who was before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose. When he saw Jesus, he said, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man who was before me; for he was before me (John 1:1, 14, 19-30).

From these words it is plain that when John spoke about the Lord Himself, who was Truth Divine itself, or the Word, he said that he himself was not anything, because the shadow disappears when the light itself appears, that is, the representative disappears when the original itself makes its appearance. (That the representatives had in view holy things, and the Lord Himself, and not at all the person that represented, see n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806.) One who does not know that representatives vanish like shadows at the presence of light, cannot know why John denied that he was Elias and the prophet.

[11] From all this it can now be seen what is signified by Moses and Elias, who were seen in glory, and who spoke with the Lord when transfigured, of His departure which He should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:29-31); namely, that they signified the Word (“Moses” the historic Word, and “Elias” the prophetic Word), which in the internal sense throughout treats of the Lord, of His coming into the world, and of His departure out of the world; and therefore it is said that “Moses and Elias were seen in glory,” for “glory” denotes the internal sense of the Word, and the “cloud” its external sense (see the preface to Genesis 18, and n. 5922, 8427).

3145. And loosed the camels. That this signifies freedom for those things which were to serve, is evident from the signification of “loosing,” as being to make free; and from the signification of “camels,” as being general memory-knowledges, and thus the things which were to serve (as just above, n. 3143). The real case herein is this: Without freedom no production of truth in the natural man is possible, nor any calling forth therefrom into the rational, and conjunction with good there. All these things take place in a free state; for it is the affection of truth from good which produces freedom. Unless truth is learned from affection, thus in freedom, it is not implanted; still less is it exalted toward the interiors and there made faith. That all reformation is effected in freedom, and that all freedom is of affection, and that the Lord keeps man in freedom, so that he may from himself and from what is his own be affected with truth and good and thereby be regenerated, may be seen above (n. 2870-2893). This is what is signified by “loosing the camels;” for if they were not significative of such things, these particulars would be too trifling to be recorded.

684. It is said the "kingdoms of the world are become our Lord's and His Christ's," and this signifies that Divine good and Divine truth are received when the evil are separated from the good and are cast into hell; for then both the higher and the lower heavens can be in enlightenment and thus in the perception of good and truth; and this could not be effected so long as the evil were conjoined with the good, because the interiors of the angels, who are in the lower heavens, could not then be opened, but only the exteriors, and the Lord does not reign in spirits and men in externals separate from internals, but in internals, and from internals in externals; for this reason, until the interiors of the angels of the lowest heaven, which are spiritual and celestial, were opened, that heaven did not become the kingdom of the Lord as it did after the separation of the evil from them.

[2] It is said that "the kingdoms of the world are become our Lord's and His Christ's," and "Lord" here has the same meaning as "Jehovah" in the Old Testament, and "Father" in the New, namely, the Lord in respect to the Divine Itself and in respect to Divine good; while "Christ" has the same meaning as "God" in the Old Testament, and "the Son of God" in the New, namely the Lord in respect to the Divine Human and also in respect to Divine truth, for "Christ" has a like meaning as "Anointed," "Messiah," and "King;" and "Anointed," "Messiah," and "King" mean the Lord in respect to Divine truth, and also in respect to the Divine Human when He was in the world, for the Lord in respect to His Human was then Divine truth. So "the Anointed of Jehovah" has a similar meaning, for the Divine Itself which is called "Jehovah" and "Father," and in its essence was the Divine good of Divine love, anointed the Divine Human, which is called "the Son of God," and which in its essence while it was in the world was Divine truth; for "anointing" signified that the Lord's Divine Human proceeded from His Divine Itself, and consequently the Divine truth from His Divine good.

[3] From this it is clear that the Lord alone in relation to the Divine Human was essentially "the Anointed of Jehovah," while kings and priests were called "the anointed of Jehovah" representatively; for the "oil" with which the anointing was performed signified the Divine good of the Divine love. Now as it was Divine truth with the Lord that was anointed by the Divine good, so "Christ," and likewise "the Messiah" and "Anointed," and also "King," signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love. That this is so can be seen from passages in the Word where "Christ," "Messiah," and "Anointed" are mentioned.

[4] That "Christ" is the Messiah, or Anointed, is evident in John:

Andrew findeth his brother Simon and said to him, We have found the Messiah, which is, when interpreted, Christ (John 1:41).

And in the same:

The woman of Samaria said, I know that Messiah cometh, who is called Christ (John 4:25).

This shows that the Lord is called "Christ" because He was the Messiah whose coming was foretold in the Word of the Old Testament; for the word for Anointed is "Christ" in the Greek, and "Messiah" in the Hebrew, and a king is one anointed. This is why the Lord is called "King of Israel," and "King of the Jews," which also He acknowledged before Pilate, wherefore it was inscribed upon the cross:

The king of the Jews (Matthew 27:11, 29, 37, 41; Luke 23:1-4, 35-40).

Also in John:

Nathaniel said, Thou art the Son of God, the King of Israel (John 1:48).

[5] As "Anointed," "Christ," "Messiah," and "King," are synonymous terms, so also "Son of God;" and each one of these names signifies in the spiritual sense Divine truth (that this is the signification of "king" may be seen above, n. 31, 553, 625); and "Son of God" also has the same meaning, because in the Word "sons" signify truths, and thus "the Son of God" signifies Divine truth. That "sons" signify truths may be seen above (n. 166). "Christ" and "Messiah" have a like signification.

[6] That "Christ" signifies Divine truth is evident in Matthew:

Be not ye called Rabbi, one is your teacher, Christ (Matthew 23:8).

"Rabbi" and "teacher" signify one that teaches truth, thus in an abstract sense the doctrine of truth, and in the highest sense Divine truth, which is Christ. That the Lord alone is Divine truth is meant by "Be not ye called Rabbi, one is your teacher, Christ."

[7] In the same:

See that no one lead you astray; for many shall come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and shall lead many astray. If anyone shall say to you, Lo, here is the Christ, or there, believe it not; for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets (Matthew 24:4-5, 23-24; Mark 13:21-23).

This must not be understood as meaning that there will arise those who will call themselves the Christ or Christs, but those who will falsify the Word, and declare that this or that is Divine truth when it is not; those who confirm falsities by the Word are meant by "false Christs," and those who hatch out falsities of doctrine by "false prophets." For these two chapters treat of the successive vastation of the church, thus of the falsification of the Word, and lastly of the profanation of truth thence. (But this may be seen further explained in the Arcana Coelestia 3353-3356, and n. 3897-3901.)

[8] And as "Son of God" also signifies Divine truth, as has just been said, He is sometimes called:

The Christ, the Son of God (as in Matthew 26:63; Mark 14:61; Luke 4:41, 22:66-71 to the end; John 6:69, 11:26-27, 20:31).

In a word, when the Lord was in the world He was called "Christ," "Messiah," "Anointed," and "King," because in Him alone was the Divine good of Divine love, from which Divine truth proceeds, and this was represented by "anointing;" for the "oil" with which anointing was performed signified the Divine good of Divine love, and the "king," who was anointed, represented Divine truth. This is why kings, when they had been anointed, represented the Lord, and were called "the anointed of Jehovah;" yet it was the Lord alone in relation to His Divine Human that was "the Anointed of Jehovah," since the Divine good of Divine love was in Him, and this was Jehovah and the Father from whom the Lord had the being [esse] of life. For it is well known that He was conceived of Jehovah, thus it was from the Divine good of Divine love, which was in Him from conception, that the Lord in relation to His Human was Divine truth so long as He was in the world. This shows that the Lord alone was "the Anointed of Jehovah" essentially, and that kings were called "the anointed of Jehovah" representatively. Thence now it is that the Lord in relation to His Divine Human was called "Messiah" and "Christ," that is, "Anointed."

[9] This can also be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

The spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon Me, therefore Jehovah hath anointed Me to proclaim good tidings unto the poor, He hath sent Me to bind up the broken in heart, to preach liberty to the captives, to the bound, to the blind, to proclaim the year of Jehovah's good pleasure, and the day of vengeance for our God, to comfort all that mourn (Isaiah 61:1, 2).

This is plainly said of the Lord. The meaning is that the Lord Jehovih anointed His Divine Human "to proclaim good tidings unto the poor, and sent it to bind up the broken in heart," and so on, for all this the Lord accomplished from His Human (but the particulars may be seen explained above, n. 183, 375, 612).

[10] In David:

Why have the nations become tumultuous, and why have the peoples meditated vanity? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers took counsel together against Jehovah and against His Anointed. I have anointed My king upon Zion, the mountain of My holiness. I will declare the statute, Jehovah said unto me, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee; ask of Me and I will give the nations for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and ye perish in the way, for His anger will shortly burn forth; blessed are all they that put their trust in Him (Psalms 2:1-2, 6-8, 12).

Evidently "the Anointed of Jehovah" means here the Lord in relation to the Divine Human, for it is said, "Jehovah said unto Me, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee; kiss the Son lest ye perish; blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." In the sense of the letter this indeed is said of David, but in the Word "David" means the Lord in relation to Divine truth, or as a King (See above, n. 205). It is evident also that the Lord's coming and finally the Last Judgment by Him, and afterwards His sovereignty over all things of the world, are here treated of.

[11] The spiritual things that lie hidden and are signified in the particulars of this passage are as follows: "The nations have become tumultuous and the peoples have meditated vanity," signifies the state of the church and of the former heaven that was to pass away, "nations" meaning those who are in evils, and "peoples" those who are in falsities (See above n. 175, 331, 625); "the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers took counsel together, against Jehovah and against His Anointed," signifies the falsities of the church and its evils, as being utterly opposed to the Divine good and the Divine truth, and thus to the Lord, "the kings of the earth" meaning the falsities of the church, and the "rulers" its evils, "Jehovah" meaning the Lord in relation to the Divine itself, thus in relation to Divine good, and the "Anointed" the Lord in relation to the Divine Human, thus as to Divine truth.

[12] "I have anointed My king upon Zion, the mountain of My holiness," signifies the Lord's Human in relation to Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of His Divine love, and thus His sovereignty over all things of heaven and the church, "Zion" and "the mountain of holiness" meaning heaven and the church; and thus all things of heaven and the church; "I will declare the statute" signifies an arcanum of the Divine providence and will; "Jehovah said unto Me, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee," signifies the Lord as the Anointed, Messiah, Christ, and King, thus in relation to His Human conceived and afterwards born of the Divine Itself, that is, Jehovah; "this day" signifies what is decreed from eternity and looks therefrom to the conjunction and union accomplished in time.

[13] "Ask of Me, and I will give the nations for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession," signifies His kingdom and dominion over all things of heaven and the church, which shall be His; "kiss the Son" signifies conjunction with the Lord by love, "to kiss" signifying conjunction by love; "lest He be angry, and ye perish in the way," signifies lest evils assault you and you be condemned, for "to be angry" when predicated of the Lord, signifies the turning away of men from Him, thus their anger and not the Lord's; and evils are what turn away, and then are angry; "for His anger will shortly burn forth" signifies the Last Judgment, and the casting down of the evil into hell; "blessed are all they that trust in Him" signifies salvation by love to the Lord and faith in Him.

[14] In the same:

Thou art fairer than the sons of men, grace is poured upon thy lips. Gird about thy sword upon the thigh, O Mighty One, in thy majesty and thy honor; and in thy honor mount, ride upon the word of truth and of meekness of righteousness, and thy right hand shall teach thee in wonderful things; thine arrows are sharp, the peoples shall fall under thee, enemies of the king from the heart. Thy throne, O God, is for an age and for eternity; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Thy kingdom; thou hast loved righteousness and hated evil; therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of joy above thy fellows, with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, all thy garments. Kings' daughters are among thy precious ones; on thy right hand standeth the queen in the best gold of Ophir (Psalms 45:2-9).

It is clear from all the particulars in this psalm that this is said of the Lord, and consequently that He it is of whom it is said "God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of joy, with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, and all thy garments." What this signifies can be seen from the series as follows, namely, that He has Divine wisdom and that from Him is the doctrine of Divine truth, is signified by "thou art fairer than the sons of men, grace is poured upon thy lips," "fair" signifies wisdom, "the sons of men" signify those who are intelligent in Divine truths, and "lips" signify doctrinals.

[15] The Lord's omnipotence from Divine truth proceeding from Divine good, and the consequent destruction of falsities and evils and the subjugation of the hells, is signified by "gird about the sword upon the thigh, O Mighty One, in majesty and in honor, and in thy honor mount, ride upon the word of truth; thy right hand shall teach thee in wonderful things, thine arrows are sharp, the peoples shall fall under thee, enemies of the king from the heart;" "sword" signifies truth combating against falsity and destroying it; "chariot," like as "the word of truth," signifies the doctrine of truth; "to ride" signifies to instruct and combat; "right hand" signifies omnipotence; "arrows" signify truths combating; "peoples" those who are in the falsities of evil; and "enemies of the king" those who are opposed to truths, thus the hells.

[16] That the kingdom and dominion would thus be His to eternity is signified by "Thy throne, O God, is for an age and for eternity; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Thy kingdom," "scepter of uprightness" meaning Divine truth which has power and sovereignty. That as He delivered the good from damnation by destroying the evil, therefore the Divine itself united itself to His Human, is signified by "thou hast loved righteousness and hated evil, therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of joy above thy fellows," "to love righteousness and to hate evil" signifying to deliver the good from damnation by destroying the evil, "to anoint with the oil of joy" signifying to unite Himself by victories in temptations, "God, thy God," signifying the reciprocal uniting of the Human with the Divine, and of the Divine with the Human.

[17] Divine truths united to Divine goods are signified by "He hath anointed with myrrh, and aloes, and cassia all thy garments," "myrrh" signifying good of the lowest degree, "aloes" good of the second degree, and "cassia" good of the third degree, like as these three spices when mixed with olive oil, out of which the "oil of holiness" for anointing was made (Exodus 30:23-24); and that "oil" signified the Divine good of the Divine love, and the "garments" that were anointed signified Divine truths.

[18] That those who are of His kingdom have the spiritual affection of truth is signified by "kings' daughters are among thy precious ones," "kings' daughters" meaning the spiritual affections of truth, which are called "precious" when truths are genuine. That heaven and the church are under His protection and are conjoined to Him, because they are in love to Him from Him, is signified by "on thy right hand standeth the queen in the best gold of Ophir," "queen" signifying heaven and the church, "at the right hand" signifying under the Lord's protection from conjunction with Him, and "the best gold of Ophir" the good of love to the Lord.

[19] In the same:

I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to David My servant, even to eternity will I establish thy seed, and will build up thy throne to generation and generation. Thou hast spoken in vision to thy holy one, and hast said, I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people; I have found David My servant, with the oil of My holiness have I anointed him, with whom My hand shall be established; Mine arm also shall strengthen him. I will beat in pieces his adversaries before him, and will strike down them that hate him. I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers; he shall call me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation; I will also make him the firstborn, high above the kings of the earth; and My covenant shall be steadfast for him; and I will set his seed forever, and his throne as the days of the heavens. Once have I sworn by My holiness, I will not deal falsely with David, his seed shall be to eternity, and his throne as the sun before Me, it shall be established as the moon to eternity, a faithful witness in the clouds (Psalms 89:3-4, 19-21, 23, 25-29, 35-37).

That by "David" here David is not meant, but the Lord as to His kingship, which is the Divine spiritual, and is called the Divine truth, is very evident from what is here said of David, namely, that "his seed and throne shall be as the days of the heavens, and as the sun and the moon to eternity," that "he shall set the hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers," and that "he shall call Jehovah his Father, and shall be the firstborn, high above the kings of the earth," with other things that could not be said of David, his sons and his throne. That "David" in the Word means the Lord may be seen above n. 205.

[20] But to proceed to particulars. "I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to David My servant," signifies the union of the Lord's Divine with the Human, "to make a covenant" signifying to be united, and "to swear" to confirm the union; "chosen" is predicated of good, and "servant" of truth. "Even to eternity will I establish thy seed, and will build up thy throne to generation and generation," signifies Divine truth, and heaven and the church from Him, "seed" meaning Divine truth and those who receive it, and "throne" heaven and the church.

[21] "Thou hast spoken in vision to thy holy one" signifies a prophetic arcanum respecting the Lord; "I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people," signifies Divine truth whereby Divine good operates all things, which is called "help upon one that is mighty," and elsewhere "the right hand of Jehovah;" Divine majesty and consequent power is signified by "the exalting of one chosen out of the people;" "I have found David My servant, with the oil of holiness have I anointed him," signifies the Lord in relation to the Divine Human and union with the Divine Itself, which union is called in the Word of the New Testament glorification, and is meant by "being anointed with the oil of holiness," for "the oil of holiness" signifies the Divine good of Divine love, and "to be anointed" signifies to be united to Divine truth, which was of the Lord's Human in the world.

[22] "With whom My hand shall be established, Mine arm also shall strengthen him," signifies omnipotence therefrom, "hand" signifying the omnipotence of truth from good, and "arm" the omnipotence of good by means of truth; "I will beat in pieces his adversaries before him, and will strike down them that hate him," signifies combat with victory against falsities and evils, thus against the hells; "I will set His hand in the sea, and His right hand in the rivers," signifies the extension of His dominion and sovereignty over all things of heaven and the church, for "seas and rivers" mean the ultimates of heaven, and ultimates signify all things.

[23] "He shall call Me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my Salvation," signifies the Divine Human which is the Son of God, who was conceived from Him, and afterwards born; and as the Lord's Human had therefrom Divine truth and Divine power He is also called "God" and "Rock of Salvation;" "I will also make him the firstborn, high above the kings of the earth," signifies that He is above every good and truth of heaven and the church, because goods and truths therein are from Him; "and My covenant shall be steadfast for him" signifies eternal union; "I will set his seed forever, and his throne as the days of the heavens," has the same signification here as above, "days of the heavens" meaning the states of the entire heaven, which are from His Divine.

[24] "Once have I sworn by My holiness, I will not deal falsely with David," signifies eternal confirmation, because from the Divine, respecting the Lord and the union of His Human with the Divine Itself; "His seed shall be to eternity, and his throne as the sun before Me, it shall be established as the moon to eternity," has a like signification as above, where "seed" and "throne" are mentioned; it is said "as the sun and moon," because eternity in respect to Divine good is predicated of the "sun," and in respect to Divine truth of the "moon," for these are signified by "sun and moon;" "a faithful witness in the clouds" signifies the acknowledgment and confession from the Word of the Divine in the Lord's Human; that this is "a witness in the clouds" may be seen above (n. 10, 27, 228, 392, 649).

[25] In the same:

O Jehovah, remember David, all his labor; who sware unto Jehovah, and vowed unto the Mighty One of Jacob, Surely I will not enter within the tent of my house, nor go up upon the couch of my bed, until I find out a place for Jehovah, habitations for the Mighty One of Jacob. Lo, we have heard of Him in Ephrathah, we have found Him in the fields of the forest. We will go into His habitations, we will bow ourselves down at His footstool. Arise, O Jehovah, to Thy rest, Thou and the ark of Thy strength. Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Thy saints shout for joy; for Thy servant David's sake turn not back the face of Thine anointed. In Zion will I make the horn of David to bud; I will set in order a lamp for Mine anointed; his adversaries will I clothe with shame, but upon himself shall his crown flourish (Psalms 132:1-3, 5-10, 17-18).

Here, too, "David" and "Anointed or Christ" do not mean David, but the Lord in relation to the Divine Human, for it is said that "His habitations," that is, of the Mighty One of Jacob, "are found in Ephrathah," which is Bethlehem, and that they "would bow themselves down at His footstool;" but that this is so will be more evident in the explanation of the particulars in their order.

[26] "Who sware unto Jehovah, and vowed unto the Mighty One of Jacob," signifies irrevocable affirmation before the Lord, who is called "Jehovah" from the Divine in things first, and "Mighty One of Jacob" from the Divine in ultimates, in which is Divine power in its fullness; "surely I will not enter within the tent of my house, nor go upon the couch of my bed," signifies not to enter into and know the things that are of the church and its doctrine, "tent of the house" signifying the holy things of the church, and "the couch of a bed" its doctrine; "until I find out a place for Jehovah, habitations for the Mighty One of Jacob," signifies until I shall know about the Lord's coming, and the arcana of the union of His Human with the Divine; these in the highest sense are "a place for Jehovah" and "habitations" of the Lord's Divine Human.

[27] "Lo, we have heard of Him at Ephrathah, we have found Him in the fields of the forest," signifies both in the spiritual sense of the Word and in the natural, for "Ephrathah" and "Bethlehem" signify the spiritual-natural of the Word, and "fields of the forest" the natural of the Word, for there the Lord is found; "we will go into His habitations, we will bow ourselves down at His footstool," signifies that there He is found, for He is the Word; "His habitations" here mean the things of the spiritual sense of the Word, and thus the heavens, for these are in the spiritual sense of the Word, and "His footstool" means the things of the natural sense of the Word, and therefore the church, since in the church are Divine truths in their ultimates, which serve as a footstool for the spiritual things of the Word and of the heavens, thus for the Lord Himself who dwells therein.

[28] "Arise, O Jehovah, to Thy rest, Thou and the ark of Thy strength," signifies the union of the Divine itself with the Human in the Lord, and consequent peace to all in heaven and in the church, "Jehovah's rest" meaning that union, and "the ark of His strength" heaven and the church; "let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Thy saints shout for joy," signifies worship from love for those who are in celestial good, and worship from charity for those who are in spiritual good, "priests" meaning those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, while those who are in His spiritual kingdom are called "saints."

[29] "For Thy servant David's sake turn not away the face of Thine anointed" signifies that they may be enkindled by love and enlightened by the light of truth, when Divine truth has been united with Divine good in the Lord, thus the Divine Itself with the Human and the Human with the Divine, for "David" as a "servant" signifies the Lord's Human in relation to Divine truth, and "the anointed" signifies the same united to Divine good, and "his face" signifies Divine love and enlightenment therefrom; "in Zion will I make the horn of David to bud" signifies the power of Divine truth from Him in heaven and in the church; "I will set in order a lamp for Mine anointed" signifies enlightenment of Divine truth from the union of the Divine and Human in the Lord, "lamp" meaning Divine truth in respect to enlightenment. "His adversaries will I clothe with shame" signifies the subjugation of the hells and the dispersion of the evils thence; "but upon himself shall his crown flourish" signifies perpetual and eternal victory over them.

[30] From the passages here cited from the Word it can be seen that the Lord is called "the Anointed," that is, the Messiah or the Christ, from the union of Divine good with Divine truth in His Human, for the Lord's Human from that union is meant by "the Anointed of Jehovah."

[31] Likewise in the first book of Samuel:

Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth, and will give strength unto His King and exalt the horn of His Anointed (1 Samuel 2:10).

This is a part of the prophetic song of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, before there was any king or anointed over Israel, therefore "King" and "Anointed" here mean the Lord, to whom "is given strength" and whose "horn is exalted" when the Divine is united to the Human, "strength" signifying the power of good over evil, and "horn" the power of truth over falsity, and truth is said "to be exalted" when it becomes interior, and in the same degree becomes more powerful.

[32] "The anointed" has a similar meaning in Lamentations:

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits, of whom we had said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations (Lamentations 4:20).

"The anointed of Jehovah" here means in the sense of the letter a king who was made captive, but in the spiritual sense it means the Lord, therefore it is said, "the breath of our nostrils," that is, the life of the perception of good and truth; "taken in the pits" signifies rejected by those who are in the falsities of evil, "pits" meaning the falsities of doctrine; "to live under his shadow" signifies to be under the Lord's protection against the falsities of evil, which are meant by "nations."

[33] Since "the Anointed," "Messiah," or "Christ" signifies the Lord in relation to the Divine Human, thus in relation to Divine good united to Divine truth, so "anointing" signifies that union, respecting which the Lord says:

I am in the Father and the Father in Me; believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me (John 14:7-11);

and elsewhere:

The Father and I are one; know ye and believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me (John 10:30, 38).

And because this was represented by the anointing of Aaron and his sons, therefore:

The holy things of the sons of Israel which belonged to Jehovah Himself were given to Aaron and His sons for the anointing (Numbers 18:8).

These holy things belonging to Jehovah which were given to Aaron and his sons are enumerated from verses 9 to 19 of that chapter. But see what has been said before, n. 375, respecting "anointings," namely, that the Lord alone, in relation to the Divine Human, was "the Anointed of Jehovah" because in Him was the Divine good of the Divine love, which was signified by "oil," and that all others anointed with oil were only representatives of Him. This has been said of "the Anointed of Jehovah," since "the Anointed of Jehovah" is the Christ, that it may be known that by "the Lord and His Christ" in this passage of Revelation two are not meant but one, that is, that they are one, as are "the Anointed of Jehovah" and "the Lord's Christ" in Luke 2:26.

[34] Since the Lord is here treated of, to show why He was called "the Christ," that is, Messiah or Anointed, it is important to explain what is said of the Messiah in Daniel:

Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy city of holiness, to consummate the transgression, and to seal up sins, and to expiate iniquity, and to bring in the righteousness of the ages, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies. Know, therefore, and perceive that from the going forth of the Word even to the restoration and building of Jerusalem, even to Messiah the prince, shall be seven weeks. After sixty and two weeks it shall be restored and built with street and moat, but in straitness of times. But after sixty and two weeks the Messiah shall be cut off, yet not for Himself. Then the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, so that its end shall be with an inundation, and even unto the end of the war desolations are determined. Yet He shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and meal-offering to cease. At last upon the bird of abominations shall be desolation, and even to the consummation and decision it shall drop upon the devastation (Daniel 9:24-27).

The meaning of these words has been investigated and explained by many of the learned, but in the literal sense only, and not as yet in the spiritual sense, for that sense has been hitherto unknown in the Christian world. In that sense these words have the following signification: "Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people" signifies the time and state of the church that then existed with the Jews, even to its end, "seven" and "seventy" signifying fullness from beginning to end, and "people" those who were then of the church; "and upon thy city of holiness" signifies the time and state of the end of the church in respect to the doctrine of truth from the Word, "city" signifying the doctrine of truth, and "the city of holiness" Divine truth, which is the Word.

[35] "To consummate the transgression and to seal up the sins and to expiate iniquity" signifies when there are nothing but falsities and evils in the church, thus when iniquity is fulfilled and consummated; for until this is done the end does not come, for reasons given in the small work on The Last Judgment; for if the end should come before, the simple good, who are conjoined as to externals with those who imitate and hypocritically make a show of truths and goods in externals, would be destroyed; therefore it is added "to bring in the righteousness of the ages," which signifies to save those who are in the good of faith and charity; "and to seal up vision and prophecy" signifies to fulfill all things contained in the Word; "to anoint the Holy of Holies" signifies to unite the Divine itself with the Human in the Lord, for this is "the Holy of Holies."

[36] "Know, therefore, and perceive from the going forth of the Word," signifies from the end of the Word of the Old Testament, since that was fulfilled in the Lord, for all things of the Word of the Old Testament treat in the highest sense of the Lord and of the glorification of His Human, and thus of His dominion over all things of heaven and the world; "even to the restoration and building of Jerusalem" signifies when a New Church was to be established, "Jerusalem" signifying that church, and "to build" to establish anew; "even to Messiah the Prince" signifies even to the Lord and Divine truth in Him and from Him, for the Lord is called "Messiah" from the Divine Human, and "Prince" from Divine truth; "seven weeks" signify a full time and state.

[37] "After sixty and two weeks it shall be restored and built with street and moat" signifies the full time and state after His coming until the church with its truths and doctrine is established, "sixty" signifying a full time and state as to the implantation of truth, like as the number "three" or "six," and "two" signifying the same for the implantation of good, thus the "sixty and two" together signify the marriage of truth with a little good; "street" signifies the truth of doctrine, and "moat" doctrine. (What "street" signifies see above, n. 652; and "moat" or "pit," n. 537.) "But in straitness of times" signifies hardly and with difficulty, because with the Gentiles that have little perception of spiritual truth.

[38] "But after the sixty and two weeks" signifies after a full time and state of the church now established in respect to truth and to good; "the Messiah shall be cut off" signifies that they fall away from the Lord, which took place chiefly with the Babylonians, by their transferring the Lord's Divine power to the popes, and thus by not acknowledging the Divine in His Human; "yet not for Himself" signifies that yet the power is His and the Divine is His.

[39] "Then the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary" signifies that thus doctrine and the church will be destroyed by falsities, "city" signifying doctrine, "sanctuary" the church, and "the prince that shall come" the reigning falsity; "so that its end shall be with an inundation, and even unto the end of the war desolations are determined," signifies the falsification of truth, even until there is no combat between truth and falsity; "an inundation" signifying the falsification of truth, "war" the combat between truth and falsity, and "desolation" the last state of the church, when there is no longer any truth, but mere falsity.

[40] "Yet He shall confirm a covenant for one week" signifies the time of the Reformation when the Word is again read and the Lord acknowledged, that is, the Divine in His Human; this acknowledgment, and conjunction therefrom with the Lord by means of the Word, is signified by "covenant," and the time of the Reformation by "one week;" "but in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the meal offering to cease" signifies that still interiorly with the Reformed there will be no truth and good in worship; "sacrifice" signifying worship from truths, and "meal offering" worship from goods, "the midst of the week" signifying not the midst of that time but the inmost of the state of the Reformed, for "midst" signifies inmost, and "week" a state of the church; there was no truth and good interiorly in worship after the Reformation, because they adopted faith as the essential of the church, and separated it from charity, and when faith is separated from charity then there is no truth or good in the inmost of worship, for the inmost of worship is the good of charity, and from that the truth of faith proceeds.

[41] "At last upon the bird of abominations shall be desolation" signifies the extinction of all truth by the separation of faith from charity, "the bird of abominations" signifying faith alone, thus faith separated from charity, for "a bird" signifies thought respecting the truths of the Word and the understanding of them, and this becomes "a bird of abominations" when there is no spiritual affection of truth, which enlightens truth and teaches it, but only a natural affection, which is for the sake of reputation, glory, honor, and gain, and as this affection is infernal it is abominable, since from it there are mere falsities; "and even to the consummation and decision it shall drop upon the devastation" signifies its last state, when there is no longer anything of truth or of faith, and when the Last Judgment takes place.

[42] That these last things in Daniel were predictions respecting the end of the Christian church is evident from the Lord's words in Matthew:

When ye shall see the abomination of desolation foretold by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place, let him who readeth understand (Matthew 24:15).

For that chapter treats of the consummation of the age, thus of the successive vastation of the Christian church, therefore the devastation of that church is meant by these words in Daniel. (But what they signify in the spiritual sense has been explained in Arcana Coelestia 3652.) From this it can now be seen what is signified by "the kingdoms of the world are become the Lord's and His Christ's," also what is signified by "the Lord's Christ" (or the Christ of the Lord), in Luke:

A promise was made to Simeon by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord (Luke 2:26).