2836. 'Abraham called the name of that place' means the nature of their state, that is to say, the state of those who are spiritual, which was brought about by the Lord's Divine Human. This is clear from the meaning of 'calling the name' as knowing the nature of a person or thing, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009; from the meaning of 'place' as state, dealt with in 1273-1277, 1376-1381, 2625; and from the representation of 'Abraham' as the Lord as to the Divine Human, dealt with in 2833. From this it is evident that 'Abraham called the name of that place' means the nature of the state of those who are spiritual which was brought about by the Lord's Divine Human. It has been shown already that spiritual people are saved through the Lord's Coming into the world, in 2661, 2716, and that they receive enlightenment from His Divine Human, in 2716. Now in the present verse there follows the teaching that provision was made for those people to be saved in whom faith flowing from charity, that is, in whom charity, is present. This is the state meant by the words of this verse.

1274. The marvels existing in the next life include the following:

1. Communities of spirits and of angels, as regards position, appear distinct and separate from one another, even though places and distances in the next life are nothing other than varieties of state.

2. Position and distances are relative to the human body, so that people on the right thus seem to be stationed on the right whichever way the body turns. The same applies to those on the left, or in any other direction.

3. No spirits and angels are so far away that they cannot be seen; yet no more come into view than the Lord allows to do so.

4. When the Lord allows it, spirits whom others are thinking about - for example, people who had been known to them in some way during their lifetime - are present in an instant. They come close enough to be heard or touched, or stand a little way off, notwithstanding the fact that they may have been several thousands of miles away, even up among the stars. The reason is that spatial distance is meaningless in the next life.

5. With angels no idea of time exists; it is the same in the world of spirits, but more completely so in heaven. What then must the situation be with the Lord, to whom every single human being is inescapably most fully present and beneath His view and Providence?

These things seem unbelievable but are nevertheless true.