1. Teachings for the New Jerusalem on the Lord

The Entire Sacred Scripture Is about the Lord, and the Lord Is the Word

WE read in John,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and nothing that was made came about without him. In him there was life, and that life was the light for humankind. And the light shines in the darkness, but the darkness did not grasp it. And the Word became flesh and lived among us; and we saw his glory, glory like that of the only-begotten child of the Father. He was full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-3, 5, 14)

In the same Gospel,

Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19)

And elsewhere in the same Gospel,

While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of the light. I have come into the world as a light so that anyone who believes in me will not remain in darkness. (John 12:36, 46)

We can see from this that the Lord is God from eternity and that he himself is that Lord who was born into the world. It actually says that the Word was with God and that the Word was God, as well as that nothing that was made came about without him, and then that the Word became flesh and that they saw him.

There is little understanding in the church of what it means to call the Lord “the Word.” He is called the Word because the Word means divine truth or divine wisdom and the Lord is divine truth itself or divine wisdom itself. That is why he is also called the light that is said to have come into the world.

Since divine wisdom and divine love are one with each other and have been one in the Lord from eternity, it also says “in him there was life, and that life was the light for humankind.” The life is divine love, and the light is divine wisdom.

This oneness is what is meant by saying both that “in the beginning the Word was with God” and that “the Word was God.” “With God” is in God, since wisdom is in love and love is in wisdom. This is like the statement elsewhere in John, “Glorify me, Father, together with yourself, with the glory I had with you before the world existed” (John 17:5). “With yourself” is “in yourself.” This is why it adds “and the Word was God.” It says elsewhere that the Lord is in the Father and the Father is in him [John 14:10], and that the Father and he are one [John 10:30].

Since the Word is the divine wisdom of the divine love, it follows that it is Jehovah himself and therefore the Lord, the one by whom all things were made that were made, since everything was created out of divine love by means of divine wisdom.

9503. And thou shalt put into the ark the Testimony. That this signifies the Divine truth which is the Lord in heaven, is evident from the signification of “the ark,” as being heaven (of which above); and from the signification of “the Testimony,” as being the Divine truth, and thus the Lord in heaven (of which in what follows). That Divine truth is the Lord in heaven, is because the Lord is good itself and truth itself, both of which proceed from Him, and that which proceeds from Him is Himself. Hence it is that the Lord is heaven; for the Divine truth which is from Him and is received by the angels, makes heaven; consequently the more perfectly the angels receive the Divine truth which is from the Lord, thus the more perfectly they receive the Lord, the more perfect human forms they are, and finally so perfect that their beauty surpasses belief. He who shall see, as I have, will be amazed; for they are heavenly loves and charities in form, which form is the truly human form. The reason why the angels are human forms, is that the Divine in heaven is the Lord, and they who receive from Him the Divine truth in good are images of Him.

[2] As to the signification of “the Testimony,” a distinction is made in the Word between “laws,” “statutes,” “judgments,” “precepts,” “testimonies,” “words,” “commands,” “truths,” and “covenants,” as can be seen from very many passages; especially in David, in Psalm 119, where these are all mentioned, but “testimonies,” in verses 2, 14, 46, 59, 88, 95, 111, 119, 129, 138, 144, 168; and likewise in other places in David:

The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of Jehovah is steadfast, making wise the simple. The commandments of Jehovah are right, making glad the heart; the precept of Jehovah is pure, enlightening the eyes. The judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are righteous altogether (Psalms 19:7-9);

and also in Moses (Deuteronomy 4:45; 6:17, 20); and in Jeremiah 44:23; and in many other passages. From all this it can be seen that “the Testimony” denotes the Divine truth which testifies concerning the Lord; thus the Word, for in the supreme sense the Word treats of the Lord alone, and consequently in the internal sense it testifies concerning Him; that is, it teaches Him and the truths of faith and the goods of love which are from Him. In this sense “testimony” is used also in Revelation:

Who were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held (Revelation 6:9).

They overcame the dragon by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony (Revelation 12:11).

“The blood of the Lamb” denotes the Divine truth that proceeds from the the Lord, (n. 7846, 7877, 9127, 9393), and “the word of the testimony” denotes the Divine truth received by man; in like manner in Revelation 12:17; 19:10.

[3] That the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord is called “the testimony,” is because it testifies concerning the Lord, as is evident from the words of the Lord Himself in John:

He that cometh from heaven is above all. What He hath seen and heard, that He testifieth. He that receiveth His testimony hath set his seal to this, that God is true (John 3:31-33).

I am He that testifieth of Myself, and the Father that sent Me testifieth of Me (John 8:18).

Search the Scriptures, and these are they which testify of Me (John 5:39).

The Paraclete, the Spirit of truth, He shall testify of Me (John 15:26).

From these passages it is evident that the Divine truth is called “the testimony” for the reason that it testifies concerning the Lord. This Divine truth is the Word, for as before said, in the supreme sense the Word treats of the Lord alone; consequently the Word is Divine, and from this comes its holiness. The Ten Words also, that is, the Law promulgated from Mount Sinai, and inscribed on the two tables, and stored up in the ark, is what is here called “the Testimony” (that this Law signifies the Word, that is, the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, in its whole complex, see n. 9416). That it is the Lord from whom comes the Divine truth, is plain from His words to Pilate:

Pilate saith, Art thou a King? Jesus answered, Thou sayest I am a King. To this was I born, and for this am I come into the world, that I should give testimony to the truth (John 18:37);

by “a king” in the internal sense is signified the Divine truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148); and therefore He said “I am a king, and to this was I born, that I should give testimony to the truth,” that is, that He is the Divine truth. From all this it is now plain that by “the Testimony” in the ark is signified the Divine truth, thus the Lord in heaven.