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.

489. 'Sons and daughters' means the truths and goods which they perceived, 'sons to be exact meaning the truths and 'daughters' the goods. This becomes clear from very many places in the Prophets. For in the Word, as happened in earliest times, conceptions and births of the Church are called 'sons and daughters', as in Isaiah,

Nations will walk to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes round about and see; they all gather and they come towards you. Your sons will come from far, and your daughters will be nursed at your side. Then you will see and abound, and your heart will be astounded and enlarged. Isaiah 60:3-5.

Here 'sons' stands for truths and 'daughters' for goods.

In David,

Rescue me and snatch me from the hand of sons of the foreigner, whose mouths speak lies. Our sons are like plants made large in their youth, our daughters like corner-pillars cut in the form of the temple. Psalms 144:11-12.

'Sons of the foreigner' stands for spurious truths, which are falsities, 'our sons' for matters of doctrine concerning truth, and 'daughters' for matters of doctrine concerning good.

In Isaiah,

I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not withhold. Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the end of the earth. Bring forth the blind people, and they will have eyes, and the deaf, who will have ears. Isaiah 43:6, 8.

Here 'sons' stands for truths, 'daughters' for goods, 'the blind' for people who will see truths, and 'the deaf' for those who comply with them.

In Jeremiah,

From our youth shame is devouring the work of our fathers - their flocks, their herds, their sons, and their daughters. Jeremiah 3:24.

Here 'sons and daughters' stands for truths and goods.

[2] 'Male children' and 'sons' stand for truths in the following in Isaiah,

Jacob will no more be ashamed, and no more will his face grow pale. For when he sees his male children, the work of My hands, in his midst they will sanctify My name, and they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and stand in awe of the God of Israel. Those who err in spirit will know understanding Isaiah 29:12-24.

'The Holy One of Jacob, the God of Israel' stands for the Lord, 'male children' for regenerate people who have an understanding of good and truth, as is also explicitly stated.

In the same prophet,

Sing, O barren one, who did not bear, for the sons of her that is desolate are more than the sons of her that is married. Isaiah 54:1

'The sons of her that is desolate' stands for truths of the Primitive Church, or Church among gentiles, while 'the sons of her that is married' stands for truths of the Jewish Church.

In Jeremiah,

My tent has been laid waste, and all My cords torn away; My sons have gone away from Me, and they are not. Jeremiah 10:20.

'Sons' stands for truths.

In the same prophet,

Their sons will be as they were of old, and their congregation will be established before Me. Jeremiah 30:10

Here 'sons' stands for the truths of the Ancient Church.

In Zechariah,

I will rouse your sons, O Zion, together with your sons, O Jehovah, and I will set you as the sword of one who is powerful. Zechariah 9:13.

Here 'sons' stands for truths of faith inherent in love.