Van Swedenborgs Werken

 

True Christian Religion #86

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86. The reason Jehovah God came down into the world as the Divine Truth was so that He could effect redemption. Redemption was the conquest of the hells, the ordering of the heavens, and afterwards the establishment of a church. To achieve these aims the Divine Good is not powerful enough, but the Divine Truth coming from the Divine Good is. Divine Good regarded in itself is like a rounded point on a sword, or like a blunt piece of wood, or a bow without arrows. But the Divine Truth coming from the Divine Good is like a sharpened sword, and like a piece of wood pointed to make a spear, and like a bow with arrows, all of which are potent against enemies. Swords, spears and bows in the spiritual sense of the Word stand for militant truths; see , 299, 436, where this has been proved. There was no other way in which the falsities and evils, in which the whole of hell was and perpetually is plunged, could be attacked, defeated and conquered except through the Divine Truth coming from the Word. There was no other way in which a new heaven could be founded, formed and set in order, as was then done. There was no other way in which a new church could be established on earth. Moreover, all the strength, all the might and power of God belongs to the Divine Truth coming from the Divine Good. This was the reason why Jehovah God came down as the Divine Truth, which is the Word. Therefore it is said in the Psalms of David:

Gird your sword upon your thigh, o mighty one, and go up in your splendour, ride upon the word of truth; your right hand shall teach you wondrous things; sharp are your arrows, your enemies shall fall beneath you, Psalms 45:3-5.

This passage describes the Lord, His combats with the hells and His victories over them.

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

Van Swedenborgs Werken

 

True Christian Religion #299

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299. In the celestial sense, taking the name of God in vain means what the Lord said to the Pharisees:

A man shall be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven, Matthew 12:31-32.

Blasphemy against the Spirit means blasphemy against the divinity of the Lord's Human, and the holiness of the Word. It is evident from the following passages that the Lord's Divine Human is meant in the celestial or highest sense by 'the name of Jehovah God':

Jesus said, Father, glorify your name; and a voice came forth from heaven saying, I have glorified it and I will do so again, John 12:28.

Whatever you ask in my name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I shall do it, John 14:13-14.

This too is the meaning in the celestial sense of 'May your name be hallowed' in the Lord's prayer; and likewise of 'name' in Exodus 23:21; Isaiah 63:16. Since blasphemy against the Spirit is not forgiven anyone (as stated in Matthew 12:31-32), and this is the meaning in the celestial sense, the phrase is added to the commandment: 'For Jehovah will not hold anyone guiltless, who takes His name in vain.'

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