From Swedenborg's Works

 

The Lord #2

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2. We can see clearly that the specific Word meant here is the Word made known through Moses, the prophets, and the evangelists, since this is the actual divine truth from which angels get all their wisdom and from which we get our spiritual intelligence. In fact, angels in the heavens have the very same Word that we have in the world, though for us in the world it is earthly, while in the heavens it is spiritual. Further, since it is divine truth, the Word is also something divine that is emanating, and this is not only from the Lord but is the Lord himself.

Since it is the Lord himself, absolutely everything written in the Word is about the Lord alone. From Isaiah to Malachi every detail has to do with the Lord, either directly or in an opposite, negative sense.

No one has seen this before, but anyone who knows this and thinks of it can see it while reading, especially given the knowledge that in the Word there is not only an earthly meaning but a spiritual one as well; and that in this latter meaning the names of persons and places are used to mean something about the Lord and therefore something about heaven and the church that come from him-or something opposed to the Lord.

Since absolutely everything in the Word is about the Lord, and since the Word is the Lord because it is divine truth, we can see why it says “The Word became flesh and lived among us; and we saw his glory” [John 1:14]. We can also see why it says “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; anyone who believes in me will not remain in darkness” [John 12:36, 46]. “Light” is divine truth and therefore the Word.

For this reason, even nowadays anyone who turns to the Lord alone while reading the Word and who prays to him will find enlightenment in it.

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

The Bible

 

John 1:1-3

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1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

  

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #4710

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4710. 'Go, and I will send you to them' means that it would teach Divine spiritual forms of good. This is clear from the representation of 'Joseph' as the Lord's Divine Spiritual, dealt with in 4669, 4708. When this Spiritual is said 'to be sent', the teaching of Divine spiritual forms of good is meant. In the internal sense 'being sent' means coming out and going forth, 2397, and also at the same time means teaching; here therefore Divine spiritual forms of good which go forth from the Lord's Divine Spiritual are meant Divine spiritual forms of good are attributes of love and charity, whereas Divine spiritual truths are attributes of faith derived from love and charity. Anyone who teaches those forms of good also teaches these truths, for these truths derive from and have reference to those forms of good. The fact that 'being sent' means going forth and teaching may be seen from many places in the Word. It may be seen in the phrase used many times, that the Lord 'was sent from the Father', meaning that He came forth from Him, that is, from Divine Good. It may also be seen in references to the Lord sending the Paraclete or the Spirit of truth, meaning that holy truth goes forth from Him. The prophets too 'were sent', and by this is meant that they were to teach that which goes forth from the Lord. Anyone may confirm these matters from the Word, for they occur frequently there.

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