1. The Holy Scripture Throughout Has the Lord As Its Subject, and the Lord Embodies the Word

We read in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of people. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.... And the Word moreover became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as though of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-5, 14)

Again in the same Gospel:

...the light came into the world, but people loved darkness more than light, for their deeds were evil. (John 3:19)

And elsewhere in it:

While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may be children of light.... I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. (John 12:36, 46)

It is apparent from this that the Lord is, from eternity, God, and that God Himself is the Lord who was born in the world. For we are told that the Word was with God, and that the Word was God. Also that without Him nothing was made that was made. And later we are told that the Word became flesh, and people beheld Him.

[2] Why the Lord is called the Word is little understood in the church. However, He is called the Word because the term “Word” symbolizes Divine truth itself or Divine wisdom itself, and the Lord embodies Divine truth itself or Divine wisdom itself. That, too, is why He is called the light, which is also said to have come into the world.

Because Divine wisdom and Divine love are united, and were united in the Lord from eternity, therefore we are told as well that “In Him was life, and the life was the light of people.” Life means Divine love, and light Divine wisdom.

This is the union meant by the statement that the Word was in the beginning with God and that God was the Word. With God means in God, for wisdom is present in love, and love in wisdom.

So, too, we find elsewhere in John:

...Father, glorify Me with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. (John 17:5)

“With Yourself” means in Yourself. That, too, is why we are told, “And God was the Word.” And elsewhere that the Lord is in the Father, and the Father in Him, and that He and the Father are one.

Now because the Word is the Divine wisdom accompanying Divine love, it follows that it is Jehovah Himself, thus the Lord, by whom all things were made that were made, inasmuch as they were all created out of Divine love by means of Divine wisdom.

394. Saying, How long, O Lord, who art holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood upon them that dwell on the earth? That this signifies sighings to the Lord, who is Justice, concerning judgment and the removal of those who persecute and infest them that profess the Lord, and live a life of charity, is plain from the signification of crying, and saying, How long, O Lord, as denoting to utter to the Lord sighs from grief, for these are expressions of those that groan and sigh, and supplicate for justice; from the signification of, "who art holy and true," as denoting Him who is justice; for justice, when said of the Lord, signifies that He does not tolerate such things, and this because He is holy and true; and from the signification of judging and avenging our blood, as denoting to judge and to remove those who persecute and infest them that profess the Lord, and live the life of charity. The reason why these things are signified by those words is, because by blood is signified all violence offered to Divine good and Divine truth, thus to the Lord; consequently, violence offered to those who live the life of charity and faith. To offer violence to them is to offer violence to the Lord Himself, according to the words of the Lord Himself in Matthew:

"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (25:40, 45).

That this is signified by blood in that sense, may be seen above (n. 329); and from the signification of them that dwell on the earth, as denoting those who were in the former heaven, which afterwards passed away; for they dwelt upon the earth, upon mountains, hills, and rocks, in the spiritual world, and those who acknowledged the Lord and led the life of charity then abode under the earth, or under heaven, and were there hid and reserved (see above, n. 391, 392).

[2] From these things it is evident what is meant by those words in their genuine sense. But no one can know that such things are meant but him to whom it is revealed. For who otherwise could know who are meant by the souls of the slain, and what is meant by avenging their blood on them who dwell upon the earth? He who does not know from revelation who they are, would imagine that the martyrs only are meant, when, nevertheless, they were not the martyrs, but all those who suffered persecution, and were infested by those who were in the former heaven which passed away; for the latter were such as to thrust out from themselves all who professed the Lord and were in the life of charity, because they were inwardly evil (as has been said above, n. 391, 392). To which I shall add these statements: All those in the spiritual world, who are inwardly evil, however moral the life in externals they have led in the world, cannot at all bear any one who worships the Lord, and lives a life of charity; as soon as they see such persons, they infest and either injure them or treat them with contumely. I have frequently wondered that it should be so, and all must also do so who are unacquainted with it, because the same persons, in the world, tolerated preachings concerning the Lord, and also concerning charity, and also they themselves spoke doctrinally upon such things, but yet when they become spirits they cannot bear them. The reason, however, is, that this aversion is inherent in the evil in which they are; for in their evil there exists enmity, indeed, hatred against the Lord, and also against those who are led by the Lord, these being those who live the life of charity; but this enmity and hatred lie concealed in their spirit, therefore they are in them when they become spirits; then that antipathy or opposition inherent in evil, comes forth.

[3] Take, for example, those in whom the love of ruling has predominated. Their delight is to rule over others, and, if they can, over all; this delight remains with them after death, nor can it be removed, because every delight belongs to the love, and the predominating love constitutes the life of every one; and this life remains to eternity. When such persons become spirits, they continually seek dominion over others from the delight of their love, as in the world, and when they cannot obtain it, they are enraged against the Lord; and because they are unable to injure the Lord Himself, they exercise their rage against those who profess Him; for the delight of their love is opposed to the delight of celestial love, the latter delight being that the Lord may rule, whereas the former delight is that they themselves may rule, which is the reason why hatred against the Lord is implanted in this delight, and against all who are led by Him, these being those who lead the life of charity. From these things the reason may be seen why those who professed the Lord, and led a life of charity, were taken away by the Lord from the violence of such spirits, and concealed in the lower earth, and there reserved by the Lord until the judgment; and why after the judgment, those who dwelt above the earth, upon the mountains, hills, and rocks, who were as said above inwardly evil, were cast out, and those who had been hid under the earth, or under heaven, were elevated, and allotted an inheritance in the places whence the former were ejected. From these things it may now be more fully comprehended what is meant by these words which follow in the verse, that it was told them that they should rest for a little time, until they should be fulfilled.