Chapter 6.

Putting God First

1. “Take heed that you do not do your alms in front of men, to be observed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father that [is] in the heavens.

2. Therefore when thou doest alms, do not sound a trumpet in front of thee, just as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues and in the lanes, so that they may be glorified by men. Amen I say to you, They have their reward.

3. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand does,

4. So that thine alms may be in secret, and thy Father that looks in secret shall repay thee Himself in what is manifest.

5. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be just as the hypocrites; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, so that they may appear unto men. Amen I say unto you that they have their reward.

6. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy bedroom, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father that [is] in secret, and thy Father that looks in secret shall repay thee in what is manifest.

7. And when you pray, do not speak on and on, just as the gentiles, for they think that they shall be heard by their many words.

8. Therefore be ye not like them; for your Father knows what things you need before you ask Him.

9. In this way, therefore, you should pray: Our Father, who [art] in the heavens, hallowed be Thy name;

10. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, as in heaven so upon the earth.

11. Give us this day our daily bread.

12. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.

13. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

14. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

The focus of the preceding series of teachings was upon love towards the neighbor. This love should be so widespread as to extend beyond the borders of the family, beyond the borders of the neighborhood and even beyond the borders of a particular religious group. It should flow out towards all humanity, shining like the sun, equally and impartially on both the evil and the good, falling like the rain on the just and the unjust — in the same way as God’s love shines on everyone, in the same way that God’s wisdom comes down like rain everywhere. In other words, the goodness (represented by the sun) and truth (represented by rain) that flows in from God should extend outward towards the whole human race.

In this next chapter, however, there is a shift in focus. Whereas the preceding series of teachings focused our attention on the neighbor, the present series of teachings focuses our attention on God — the true source of all good works. Good works are, of course, necessary, but they must be done in the right spirit. Therefore, Jesus says, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them, otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven” (6:1).

Jesus is now halfway through His sermon, still sitting on the mountain. He has been instructing His disciples in the scriptures so that they might be rightly understood. But an accurate understanding of the scriptures is not enough. Even to do what they teach is not enough. If these works are to be done in the right spirit, they are not to be done for the sake of honor, reputation or personal gain. It is for this reason that Jesus now says, “When you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be glorified by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward” (6:2).

Jesus is here referring to the shallow, temporary reward of being esteemed by others. While there is nothing wrong with doing things that might evoke gratitude, praise, and admiration, that is not the kind of “reward’ that a person pursuing perfection seeks. Rather, people who desire to continually perfect their spirit do not seek the praise and admiration of others; instead, they seek only to do the Lord’s will, knowing that the rewards for this kind of effort — inner peace, quiet joy, and blessed assurance — are given in secret. Therefore, Jesus says, “When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. In this way, your charitable deeds will be done in secret, and Your father who sees in secret shall recompense you Himself in what is manifest” (6:2-3). ¹

As Jesus continues His valuable lesson in putting God first — not self-glory and material gain — He provides instruction on how to communicate with God. First of all, speech with God should be in done in private, and not for the purpose of obtaining public praise: “When you pray, go into your inner room and shut the door . . . and your Father who sees in secret shall recompense you Himself in what is manifest” (6:6).

The “inner room,” which is sometimes translated as “closet,” “chamber,” or “bedroom” is ταμεῖόν (tameion) which also means “secret chamber.” If we take this literally, it seems to be speaking about a quiet place for uninterrupted prayer. While this is good, practical advice, the word choice also suggests the interiors of the human mind — our “inner room.” It’s about going within, removing oneself from all sensual distractions and material cares while attempting to enter into quiet communion with God.

When we “shut the door,” we leave behind the cares of the world, along with all ego concerns. We still our minds, focusing exclusively on our relationship with God and God’s relationship with us. As it is written through the prophet, Isaiah, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee” (Isaiah 26:3).

As Jesus continues His instruction how to connect with God, He teaches that prayers should not be filled with “vain repetitions” (6:7), nor is it necessary to use many words. As an illustration, Jesus gives an example of a simple prayer, which begins, as all prayers should, with a direct address to God who is the Father of us all — our Father. This simple phrase is to remind us that we are all brothers and sisters of the same heavenly Father.

The implications are powerful and profound. It serves to remind us that we do not worship an invisible, distant tyrant, but a loving Father with whom we have a deep, intimate personal relationship. All of this, and so much more, is included in the opening words of this illustrative prayer: “Our Father, in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done” (6:10).

The prayer begins in this way to help us focus on what is essential — our love and worship of God, especially the importance of doing His will. After this invocation, the prayer is filled with expressions that involve the neighbor — frequently repeating the words “us” and “our”: give us this day our daily bread; forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; lead us not into temptation; deliver us from evil. In other words, this pray involves both self and others. But the prayer ends as it begins, with a clear focus on God: “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever” (6:12-13).

In the next verse Jesus returns to one of the central themes of the prayer: forgiveness. To ensure that His listeners do not miss this important point, He makes it quite clear that forgiving others cannot be separated from God’s forgiveness towards us: “If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (6:14). This is not to be understood as though God were in any way holding back His forgiveness until we do our part. Instead, it means that when we do good to others, we open the way to experience the forgiveness that is constantly flowing in from God.

But Jesus is also clear that the reverse is equally true: “If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (6:15). In other words, to the extent that we forgive others, we experience God’s forgiveness. And to the extent that we do not forgive others, we close ourselves off to the blessings that God yearns to give us. The choice is always ours. Therefore, Jesus teaches us to ask God for forgiveness, Forgive us our trespasses, we pray, so that we may receive forgiveness; in turn, as we become filled with God’s forgiveness, we can offer forgiveness to others: “Forgive us our trespasses” we pray, “so that we may forgive those who trespass against us.”

It all begins in God.

Dealing with Despair

16. “And when you fast, be not just as the hypocrites, of a sad face, for they spoil their faces, so that they may appear to men to fast. Amen I say to you, that they have their reward.

17. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face,

18. So that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father that [is] in secret; and thy Father that looks on in secret shall repay thee in what is manifest.”

The focus on God continues as Jesus now turns His attention to another spiritual practice: fasting. “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting” (6:16). Once again, the literal instructions are quite clear. Just as Jesus warns against doing good deeds to be admired or praying in public in order to be seen as pious, He similarly warns against hypocritical fasting. This spiritual practice should not be used as a way of appearing righteous in the eyes of others. Nor should it be used to demonstrate to the Lord how deeply we are grieving, or the depth of our despair, in hopes that He will come to our aid.

The idea that we must “prove” to the Lord that we are truly suffering in order to get His attention and deserve His pity is an old idea. The ancient Israelites believed that tearing one’s clothes, wrapping one’s self in sackcloth, rolling in ashes, and fasting were some of the many ways of “afflicting one’s soul.” These practices included not only outward demonstrations of inner anguish, but also external shows of repentance, performed in the hope that God would take notice. In a graphic episode from the Hebrew scriptures, King Ahab is told that destruction is about to come upon him because of his wickedness. When Ahab heard this, “he tore his clothes, put sackcloth upon his flesh, fasted, and went about dejectedly” (1 Kings 21:27). Ahab’s show of suffering and sadness seemed to work. The passage goes on to say, “And the word of the Lord came to Elijah saying, see how Ahab humbles himself before Me? Because he humbles himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days” (1 Kings 21:28). ²

But Jesus counters this idea, teaching that there is a better way to deal with suffering. He knows that suffering arises during those times when we feel spiritual deprivation — an absence of good and truth in our life. During these periods of mental distress, there is a tendency to go about dejected, sad, gloomy, feeling abandoned by God. There seems to be no spiritual nourishment at hand. What we may not realize is that we are in the midst of a spiritual temptation — our soul is hungering and thirsting for the Lord’s goodness and truth. ³

Jesus offers the antidote: “When you fast,” He says, “anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not appear to men to be fasting” (6:17). This is good practical advice; it does no good to go about spreading gloom and despair. But Jesus’ words contain a more interior message. Throughout the scriptures, “oil” is a symbol of God’s love, and “water” is a symbol of God’s truth. Spiritually speaking, then, Jesus is giving sound advice for what to do in times of despair: “Anoint your head with the oil of God’s love,” He says, “and wash your face with the truth of God’s wisdom.”

Jesus’ advice works on both the natural and spiritual levels. Going about with a cheerful attitude, even in difficult times, is not just a matter of maintaining a stiff upper lip or pretending to be happy. With God’s love in our hearts and God’s truth in our minds, we will not appear to be fasting. However difficult the struggle may be, we will be sustained from within: “And your Father who sees in secret will recompense thee in what is manifest” (6:18). Even though the external situation does not change, God can work the inner miracle of bringing comfort when we are feeling despair, hope when we are feeling hopeless, and encouragement when we are feeling dejected.

Throughout this section, Jesus makes it clear that these secret rewards are always available to us whenever we turn to the Lord, opening ourselves to His love and seeking His wisdom. Whether we are doing charitable deeds, engaging in prayer, or going through a time of despair, if we turn to the Lord, feelings of inner peace, quiet joy, and blessed assurance are sure to arise. This is how the Lord, “who sees in secret,” rewards us openly.

Treasures in Heaven

19. “Treasure not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust spoil, and where thieves dig through and steal;

20. But treasure up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust spoil, and where thieves do not dig through nor steal.

21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22. The lamp of the body is the eye; if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be illuminated;

23. But if thine eye be wicked, thy whole body shall be dark; if therefore the light in thee is darkness, how great [is] the darkness!”

As the Sermon on the Mount continues, Jesus reinforces the importance of focusing on the things of heaven, placing them above the things of earth: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” (6:19) says Jesus. Instead, “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (6:20). We are to value the things of heaven above the things of the earth, for the things of the earth will pass away, but the treasures of heaven — the wisdom we receive from the Word, and the spiritual qualities we cultivate as we live according to that wisdom — will abide forever. “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

The Word of God, and the heavenly wisdom that we can receive through it, is indeed a great treasure; it sharpens our spiritual vision, and enlightens our mind: “If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light” (6:22). A proper understanding of

God’s Word shows us that everything that happens can be turned to good, no matter how contrary to our will it may seem at the moment.

However, if we do not choose to store up for ourselves the treasures of heavenly wisdom, or develop heavenly qualities, our outlook on life will be tainted by the darker concerns of our lower self: “If your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness” (6:23). Jesus therefore warns us about the consequences of seeing all things in terms of our selfish desires, for in doing so, we cast ourselves into darkness and misery. His warning is stated in no uncertain terms: “How great is that darkness!” (6:23)

Jesus is here distinguishing between earthy rewards and heavenly rewards. Every temporal, material reward — everything that rusts, everything that moths can destroy or thieves break in and steal — will pass away. But heavenly rewards can never be lost; they are eternal. The joy we once felt in selflessly helping someone can never be taken from us; the satisfaction of a job well done can become an enduring memory; the sense of being truly loved by a kindly grandparent — these are all heavenly treasures that nothing on earth can cause to rust, that moths cannot eat, and that thieves cannot steal. They will be with us forever. Even when memory fades, these treasures will still be there.

It is for this reason that Jesus urges us to focus primarily on the things of heaven: the Lord, the Word, and a life of service. This should be our “master”; everything else should be secondary. As Jesus puts it, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (6:24) ⁴

Absorption in materialism and the desire for wealth (“mammon”) can prevent us from experiencing the finer blessings of heaven. We cannot say that we love the things of heaven and the things of the world equally. Trying to do so would be like trying to look upwards with one eye and downwards with the other! ⁵ We must put our love of heaven above our love of the world.

It should be noted, however, that it is not wealth or riches in themselves that are to be despised and hated, but rather the love of them as ends in themselves. Whenever our primary focus is on ourselves, on our own happiness, our own security, significance and comfort, we are serving self rather than God.

It is, of course, not wrong to provide for ourselves and for our families. The caution, however, is to make sure that our desire to achieve reasonable comfort and security in our own lives does not become a driving passion and chief concern. Nor should it compete with our love for God and our love for heaven. To the extent that worldly ambition rules over us, we become slaves, and mammon becomes our master. Jesus is teaching that there is a better way. While the things of this world have their charms and delights, rewards and satisfactions, they must always be subordinated to the things of heaven. There is no other way. We cannot serve God and mammon. That’s why Jesus urges us to lay up for ourselves “treasures in heaven.”

Be Not Anxious

24. “No one can serve two lords, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

25. On account of this I say to you, Be not anxious for your soul, what you shall eat and what you shall drink; nor for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the soul more than food, and the body [more] than clothing?

26. Look intently at the birds of the sky; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

27. And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature?

28. And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they labor not, neither do they spin;

29. But I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these.”

30. And if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, [shall He] not much more [clothe] you, [O ye] of little faith?

31. Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, with what shall we be arrayed?

32. For all these things do the nations seek; for your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His justice, and all these things shall be added to you.

34. Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow shall be anxious for the things of itself. Sufficient for the day [is] the evil of it.

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Jesus concludes this segment of His teachings with the words, “Be not anxious.” This is often translated as “Do not worry” or “Take no thought,” but the Greek word used in this case is μεριμνάω (merimnaō) which means “to overly care,” “to be greatly concerned,” and “to be pulled apart.” In the light of Jesus’ teaching that we cannot serve God and mammon, we cannot let our worldly cares or worldly ambitions pull us apart or separate us from our love for God. ⁶

This is sound advice. However, if we take Jesus’ words too literally, it can sound like an all or nothing situation. What will happen to us if we choose to serve God, regardless of the outcome? Will we have enough to eat? Will we have enough to drink? Will we be able to provide clothing and shelter for our families? Jesus anticipates these concerns when He says, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on” (6:25).

Really? Does Jesus really mean that? Is Jesus saying that we should let go of all concern about our earthly needs? Should we not worry at all about whether or not we can pay the rent, or put food on the table? Doesn’t this sound a little irresponsible? What does Jesus really mean by these statements?

Depending on how we read these statements, Jesus’ words can strike us as being the most alarming or the most comforting words ever spoken. It is alarming to think that we are called to give up all concern for acquiring the things that are essential for our very survival — food, drink, clothing and shelter. What will become of us? Our instinct for self-preservation naturally rebels against this idea.

On the other hand, we have other instincts — higher, nobler instincts. These include an intuitive sense that God loves us, desires our happiness, and will provide for our every need. Jesus, in fact, is speaking about this higher instinct when He says, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (6:26). When understood in this way, Jesus’ exhortation to not be anxious is one of great comfort. “Which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature?” (6:27).

The words of comfort and reassurance continue: “So why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (6:28-29). Jesus then repeats the dominant refrain of this lesson: “Do not be anxious.” Do not ask questions like, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things (6:31-32).

Jesus then reinforces the idea that has been central throughout this part of his discourse: a single-minded focus on God must be paramount in our minds, above and beyond everything else: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” He says. And then, He immediately reassures us with these words of comfort: “and all these things shall be added to you” (6:33).

It’s reassuring to know that “all these things shall be added.” But we would be mistaken, to assume that God wants us to abandon all interest in this world, neglect ourselves and our families, seeking only the kingdom of God. Jesus is not preaching reckless abandonment and irresponsibility. Rather, He is teaching about priorities; He is teaching us what must be supreme in our lives compared to what must be of secondary importance.

Notice that Jesus does not say to seek only the kingdom of God; he says to seek first the kingdom of God. The exhortation to seek first the kingdom of God implies order and subordination, not exclusivity or total abandonment. A true believer will of course love God and the neighbor (including oneself), but devotion to God will always come first. A true believer will love both heaven and the things of the world, but devotion to the things of heaven will always take precedence over the things of the world. ⁷ A true believer will therefore be a responsible citizen, helping those less fortunate, caring for children, and providing for the elderly, but in all of this there will be a constant, quiet inner trust in God. Such a person will go about the business of everyday life, calmly and honestly, unshaken by setbacks, and content with all things whether they appear to be to one’s immediate advantage or not. Such a person remains focused on God, even while taking care of worldly matters.

A true believer knows that God is always providing, moment to moment, whether we are aware of it or not. A true believer trusts in God and has a deep understanding of what Jesus means when He says, “Be not anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow shall be anxious about its own things” (6:34). ⁸

The certain knowledge that God is continually providing for us should inspire us to do all we can for others, knowing that God is doing all He can for us. Our job is to meet the challenges of each day with courage and equanimity, trusting in God, and making sure that our lives are led according to His will. There will be new challenges each day, but as long as we rest content in God, we can make it through anything, day by day. As Jesus puts it, “Sufficient for the day is its own evil” (6:34).

In the light of this lesson, then, we should continue to care, continue to provide, continue to be good householders, but not let anything “pull us apart” (merimnaō), pull us away, or separate us from God. In brief, in whatever we do, we need to remember Jesus’ words of comfort, “be not anxious.”

Notas de rodapé:

701. As the ark is called "the ark of the covenant" it is also to be confirmed from the Word that it was called "the ark of the covenant" because the law was in it, and the "law," which in a broad sense means the Word, signifies the Lord in relation to Divine truth, which is the Word, thus Divine truth or the Word which is from the Lord and in which is the Lord; for all Divine truth proceeds from Him, and when this is received by man conjunction with the Lord is effected, and this conjunction is what is signified by "covenant." How conjunction of the Lord with man and of man with the Lord is effected, shall also be told in a few words. The Lord continually flows into all men with light that enlightens, and with the affection of knowing and understanding truths, also for willing and doing them; and as that light and that affection continually flow in from the Lord, it follows that man becomes rational to the extent that he receives of that light, and he becomes wise and is led by the Lord so far as he receives of that affection. That affection with its light draws to itself and conjoins to itself the truths that man from infancy has learned from the Word, from doctrine out of the Word, and from preaching; for every affection desires to be nourished by the knowledges that are in harmony with it. From this conjunction man's spiritual love or affection is formed, through which he is conjoined to the Lord, that is, through which the Lord conjoins man to Himself.

[2] But in order that that light and that affection may be received, freedom of choice has been given to man, and as that freedom is from the Lord, it is also a gift of the Lord with man and is never taken away from him; for that freedom belongs to man's affection or love, and consequently also to his life. From freedom a man can think and will what is evil, and can also think and will what is good. So far, therefore, as from that freedom, which belongs to his love and thence to his life, man thinks falsities and wills evils, which are the opposites of the truths and goods of the Word, so far he is not conjoined to the Lord; but so far as he thinks truths and wills goods, which are from the Word, so far he is conjoined to the Lord, and the Lord makes those truths and goods to be of his love, and thence of his life. From this it is evident that this conjunction is reciprocal, namely, of the Lord with man and of man with the Lord; such is the conjunction that is meant in the Word by "covenant."

[3] He greatly errs who believes that man is incapable of doing anything for his own salvation because the light to see truths and the affection of doing them, as well as the freedom to think and will them, are from the Lord, and nothing of these from man. Because these appear to man to be as if in himself, and when they are thought and willed to be as from himself, man ought, because of that appearance, to think and will them as if from himself, but at the same time acknowledge that they are from the Lord. In no other way can anything of truth and good or of faith and love be appropriated to man. If one lets his hands hang down and waits for influx he receives nothing, and can have no reciprocal conjunction with the Lord, thus he is not in the covenant. That this is so is clearly evident from this, that the Lord in a thousand passages in the Word has taught that man must do good and must not do evil, and this the Lord would by no means have said, unless something had been given to man by which he has ability to do, and unless that which has been given to man might seem to him to be as if his own, although it is not his. Because this is so the Lord speaks thus in John:

I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hear My voice and open the door I will come in to him, and will sup with him and he with Me (Revelation 3:20).

[4] That "covenant" signifies conjunction with the Lord through the reception of Divine truth by the understanding and will, or by the heart and soul, that is, by love and faith, and that this conjunction is effected reciprocally, can be seen from the Word where "covenant" is mentioned. For from the Word it is evident:

1. That the Lord Himself is called a "covenant," because conjunction with Him is effected by Him through the Divine that proceeds from Him.

2. That the Divine proceeding, which is Divine truth, thus the Word, is the covenant, because it conjoins.

3. That the commandments, judgments, and statutes commanded to the sons of Israel were to them a covenant, because through these there was then conjunction with the Lord.

4. And further, that whatever conjoins is called a "covenant."

[5] As to the first: That the Lord Himself is called a "covenant," because conjunction with Him is effected by Him through the Divine that proceeds from Him, is evident from the following passages.

In Isaiah:

I Jehovah have called Thee in righteousness, and I will take hold of Thine hand and will guard Thee, and I will give thee for a covenant of the people and for a light of the nations (Isaiah 42:6).

This is said of the Lord, who is called "a covenant of the people and a light of the nations," because a "covenant" signifies conjunction, and "light" Divine truth; "peoples" mean those who are in truths, and "nations" those who are in goods (See above, n. 175, 331, 625); "to call Him in righteousness" signifies to establish righteousness by separating the evil from the good and by saving the good and condemning the evil; "to take hold of the hand and to guard" signifies to do this from Divine Omnipotence, which the hells cannot resist; Jehovah's doing this means that it is done by the Divine in the Lord.

[6] In the same:

I have given Thee for a covenant of the people, to restore the earth and to inherit the wasted heritages (Isaiah 49:8).

This, too, is said of the Lord; and "to give for a covenant of the people" signifies that there may be conjunction with Him and by Him; "to restore the earth" signifies the church; and "to inherit the wasted heritages" signifies to restore the goods and truths of the church that have been destroyed.

[7] In David:

I have made a covenant with My chosen, and I have sworn to David My servant, even to eternity will I establish thy seed, to eternity will I keep for him My mercy, and My covenant shall be steadfast for Him (Psalms 89:3, 4, 28).

"David" here means the Lord in relation to His royalty (See above, n. 205), and he is called "chosen" from good, and "servant" from truth; "to make a covenant and swear to him" signifies the uniting of the Lord's Divine with His Human, "to make a covenant" meaning to become united, and "to swear" meaning to confirm it; "even to eternity will I establish thy seed" signifies the eternity of Divine truth from Him; "to eternity will I keep for him My mercy" signifies the eternity of Divine good from Him; "My covenant shall be steadfast" signifies the union of the Divine and Human in Him. This becomes the sense of these words when, instead of David, the Lord in relation to the Divine Human and its royalty is understood, respecting which this is said in the sense of the letter, because in that sense David is treated of, with whom there was no eternal covenant.

[8] In the second book of Samuel:

The God of Israel said, the rock of Israel spake to me; and He shall be as light in the morning when the sun riseth, without clouds; from the brightness after rain cometh grass out of the earth. Is not my house firm with God? For He hath set for me a covenant of eternity, to order over all and to keep (2 Samuel 23:3-5).

This is said by David; and "the God of Israel" and "the rock of Israel" mean the Lord in relation to Divine truth; what is signified by "He shall be as light in the morning when the sun riseth, a morning without clouds, from the brightness after rain cometh grass out of the earth," may be seen above n. 644. This describes Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, from which is all germination of truth and fructification of good. "Is not my house firm with God?" signifies the church conjoined with the Lord through the Divine truth, "the house of David" meaning the church; "for He hath set for me a covenant of eternity" signifies that from the union of His Human with the Divine He has conjunction with the men of the church; "to order over all and to keep" signifies from which He rules over all things and all persons, and saves such as receive.

[9] In Malachi:

Ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that My covenant may be with Levi. My covenant with him was of life and of peace, which I gave to him with fear, that he might fear Me. The law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips. But ye have turned aside out of the way, ye have caused many to stumble in the law, ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi (Malachi 2:4-6, 8).

"The covenant of Jehovah with Levi" signifies in the highest sense the union of the Divine with the Human in the Lord, and in a relative sense, the Lord's conjunction with the church; for by "Levi" as by "David" the Lord is meant, but "Levi" means the Lord in relation to Divine good, which is the priesthood of the Lord, and "David" in relation to Divine truth, which is the royalty of the Lord. That the Lord is meant by "Levi" is evident from its being said, "the law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips," "the law of truth" signifying Divine truth from Divine good, and "lips" the doctrine of truth and instruction; and afterwards it is said:

The priest's lips shall keep knowledge; and they shall seek the law from His mouth, for He is the angel of Jehovah of Hosts (Malachi 2:7).

"A covenant of life and of peace" signifies that union and that conjunction (of which just above) from which the Lord Himself became life and peace, from which man has eternal life, and peace from the infestation by evils and falsities, thus by hell. What is signified by "His fear" may be seen above n. 696. Those who live contrary to Divine truth are meant by "ye have turned aside out of the way, ye have caused many to stumble in the law, ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi;" "to turn aside out of the way and to stumble in the law" signifies to live contrary to Divine truth, and "to corrupt the covenant of Levi" signifies to corrupt conjunction with the Lord.

[10] In the same:

Behold, I send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me; and the Lord shall suddenly come to His temple; and the angel of the covenant whom ye desire (Malachi 3:1).

It is evidently the Lord's coming that is here proclaimed. The Lord is here called "Lord" from Divine good, and "the angel of the covenant" from Divine truth (as may be seen above, n. 242, 433, 444, where the rest of the passage is explained). From this it can be seen that "covenant," in reference to the Lord, means either Himself or the union of His Divine with the Human in Him, and in reference to those who are in heaven and in the church it means conjunction with Him through the Divine that proceeds from Him.

[11] Secondly, That the Divine proceeding, which is Divine truth, thus the Word, is the covenant, because it conjoins, can be seen from the following passages. In Moses:

Moses came down out of Mount Sinai, and told the people all the words of Jehovah and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, All the words which Jehovah hath spoken will we do. And Moses wrote all the words of Jehovah in a book. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the ears of the people; and they said, All that Jehovah hath spoken we will do and will hearken. And Moses took half of the blood of the burnt-offerings, and sprinkled upon the people, and said, Behold, the blood of the covenant that Jehovah hath concluded with you upon all these words. And they saw the God of Israel, and under His feet as it were a work of sapphire stone (Exodus 24:3, 4, 7, 8, 10).

That Divine truth which with us is the Word is a covenant, is evident from all these particulars regarded in the internal or spiritual sense; for Moses, who said these things to the people, represented the law, that is, the Word, as can be seen from various places where it is said, "Moses and the prophets," and elsewhere "the law and the prophets;" thus "Moses" stands for the law, and the law in a broad sense signifies the Word, which is Divine truth. The same may also be evident from this, that "Mount Sinai" signifies heaven, from which is Divine truth; likewise from this, that "the book of the covenant, which was read before the people," signifies the Word; also that the "blood," half of which was sprinkled upon the people, also signifies Divine truth, which is the Word, and as this conjoins, it is called "the blood of the covenant." Again, since all conjunction through Divine truth is conjunction with the Lord, "the God of Israel," who is the Lord, was seen by Moses, Aaron and his sons, and the seventy elders. What was "under His feet" was seen, because when "the Lord" means the Word, "His feet" mean the Word in its ultimates, that is, in the sense of its letter, for the sons of Israel did not see the Word interiorly; "as it were a work of sapphire stone" signifies to be transparent from internal truths, which are the spiritual sense of the Word. (But this may be seen explained in detail in Arcana Coelestia 9371-9412.)

[12] Of what nature the conjunction is that is signified by "covenant" can be seen from what has been set forth, namely, that it is like the covenants commonly made in the world, that is, on the part of one and on the part of the other; in like manner the covenants that the Lord makes with men must be on the part of the Lord and on the part of men; they must be on the part of both that there may be conjunction. The things on the Lord's part are stated in the preceding chapter, namely:

That He will bless their bread and their waters, that He will take away their diseases, and that they shall possess the land of Canaan from the Sea Suph even to the river Euphrates (Exodus 23:25-31).

Here "to bless the bread and the waters" signifies in the internal spiritual sense the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth, "bread" signifying every good of heaven and the church, and "waters" all the truths of that good; "to take away diseases" signifies to remove evils and falsities which are from hell, for these are diseases in the spiritual sense; "to possess the land from the Sea Suph to the river Euphrates" signifies the church in all its extension, which those have from the Lord who are conjoined to Him through Divine truth. But the things that must be on man's part are recounted in the three preceding chapters, and in brief are meant in the passage cited above by "the words and judgments of Jehovah" that Moses coming down from Mount Sinai declared to the people, to which the people, with one voice said, "All the words that Jehovah hath spoken we will do and will hearken." It was for this reason that Moses divided the blood of the burnt offerings, and half of it, which was for the Lord, he left in the bowls, but the other half he sprinkled upon the people.

[13] That the conjunction of the Lord with men is effected through Divine truth is also meant by "blood" in the Gospels:

Jesus took the cup, saying, Drink ye all of it; this is My blood, that of the new covenant (Matthew 26:27, 28; Mark 14:23, 24; Luke 22:20).

This blood is called "the blood of the new covenant," because "blood" signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and "covenant" signifies conjunction. (That "blood" signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, received by man, may be seen above, n. 329, 476; and that "to drink" signifies to receive, to make one's own, and thus be conjoined, may also be seen above, n. 617.)

[14] Likewise in Zechariah:

By the blood of thy covenant I will send forth thy bound out of the pit wherein is no water (Zechariah 9:11).

This is said of the Lord, who is plainly treated of in this chapter; and "the blood of the covenant" means, as above, the Divine truth, by which there is conjunction with the Lord. Who are meant by "those bound in the pit wherein is no water" can be seen above n. 537.

[15] As the Lord called His blood, meaning the Divine truth proceeding from Him, "the blood of the new covenant," it shall be said briefly what is meant by "the old covenant" and "the new covenant." "The old covenant" means conjunction through such Divine truth as was given to the sons of Israel, which was external, and therefore representative of internal Divine truth. They had no other Divine truth, because they could not receive any other, for they were external and natural men, and not internal or spiritual, as can be seen from the fact that such as knew anything about the Lord's coming had no other thought of Him than that He was to be a king who would raise them above all the peoples in the whole world, and thus establish a kingdom with them on the earth, and not in the heavens and therefrom on the earth with all who believe on Him. "The old covenant," therefore, was a conjunction through such Divine truth as is contained in the books of Moses and is called "commandments, judgments, and statutes," in which, nevertheless, there lay inwardly hidden such Divine truth as is in heaven, which is internal and spiritual. This Divine truth was disclosed by the Lord when He was in the world; and as through this alone there is conjunction of the Lord with men, therefore this is what is meant by "the new covenant," also by "His blood," which is therefore called "the blood of the new covenant." "Wine" has a similar meaning.

[16] This "new covenant," which was to be entered into with the Lord when He should come into the world, is sometimes treated of in the Word of the Old Covenant. Thus in Jeremiah:

Behold the days come in which I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not as the covenant which I made with your fathers, for they have made My covenant void. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these days; I will give My law in the midst of them, and will write it upon their heart, and I will be to them for God, and they shall be to Me for a people; neither shall they teach anymore a man his companion, a man his brother, saying, Know ye Jehovah, for all shall know Me, from the least of them even to the greatest of them (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

That Jehovah, that is, the Lord, "was to make a new covenant with the house of Israel and house of Judah" does not mean that it was to be made with the sons of Israel and with Judah, but with all who from the Lord are in the truths of doctrine and in the good of love to the Lord. That these are meant in the Word by "the sons of Israel" and by "Judah" may be seen above n. 433; that "the days come" means the Lord's coming is evident. That there would then be conjunction with the Lord through Divine truth, internal and spiritual, is meant by the words, "This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these days, I will give My law in the midst of them, and will write it upon their heart." This signifies that they would then receive Divine truth inwardly in themselves; for spiritual Divine truth is received by man inwardly, thus otherwise than with the sons of Israel and the Jews, who received it outwardly; for when a man receives Divine truth inwardly in himself, that is, makes it to be of his love and thus of his life, truth is known from the truth itself, because the Lord flows into His own truth with man, and teaches him; this is what is meant by the words, "they shall no more teach a man his companion, and a man his brother, saying, Know ye Jehovah, for all shall know Me, from the least even to the greatest." The conjunction itself thereby effected, which "the new covenant" signifies, is meant by "I will be to them for God, and they shall be to Me for a people."

[17] In the same:

They shall be to Me for a people, and I will be to them for God, and I will give them one heart and one way, to fear Me all the days; and I will make with them an eternal covenant that I will not turn Me back from after them, that I may do them good; and My fear will I put into their heart that they may not depart from with Me (Jeremiah 32:38-40).

This, too, is said of the Lord and of the new covenant with Him; conjunction thereby is meant by "I will be to them for God, and they shall be to me for a people," and is further described by this, that "He would give to them one heart and one way, to fear Him all the days," and that "He would not turn Himself back from after them, and that He would put fear into their heart that they might not depart from with Him;" "one heart and one way to fear Me" signifies one will of good and one understanding of truth for worshiping the Lord; and as the conjunction is reciprocal, that is, a conjunction of the Lord with them and of them with the Lord, it is said that He will not turn Him back from after them "that I may do them good, and they will not depart from with Me." From this it is clear what is signified by "the eternal covenant" that He will enter into with them, namely, conjunction through spiritual Divine truth, which truth, when received, constitutes the life of man, and from it comes eternal conjunction.

[18] In Ezekiel:

I will raise up over them one shepherd who shall feed them, My servant David. I Jehovah will be to them for God, and My servant David a prince in the midst of them. Then will I make with them a covenant of peace, I will cause the evil wild beast to cease that they may dwell securely in the wilderness, and sleep in the forests (Ezekiel 34:23-25).

This also is said of the Lord; and "David," who shall feed them and who shall be a prince in the midst of them, means the Lord in relation to the Divine truth, who is called a servant from serving; conjunction with the Lord through the Divine truth is meant by "the covenant" which He will make with them; this is called "a covenant of peace," because man by conjunction with the Lord has peace from the infestation of evil and falsity from hell; therefore also it is added, "I will cause the evil wild beast to cease, that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forests," "evil wild beast" meaning falsity and evil from hell, and "to dwell securely in the wilderness and to sleep in the forests" signifying that they shall be safe everywhere from all infestation from falsity and evil.

[19] In the same:

My servant David shall be a king over them, that they all may have one shepherd. And I will make a covenant of peace with them, it shall be a covenant of eternity with them; and I will give them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in the midst of them to eternity, and My habitation with them; and I will be to them for God, and they shall be to Me for a people (Ezekiel 37:24, 26, 27).

Here also by "David" the Lord is meant, for it is evident that David was not to come again to be their king and shepherd; but the Lord is called "king" from Divine truth, for this is the royalty of the Lord, while Divine good is His priesthood; and the Lord is called "shepherd," because He will feed them with Divine truth, and thereby lead to the good of love, and thus to Himself; and because from this there is conjunction it is said, "I will make with them a covenant of peace, a covenant of eternity." What "a covenant of peace" signifies has been told just above, also that "I will be to them for God, and they shall be to Me for a people," means conjunction. The "sanctuary" that He will set in the midst of them, and the "habitation" that will be with them, signify heaven and the church, that are called a "sanctuary" from the good of love, and a "habitation" from the truths of that good, for the Lord dwells in truths from good.

[20] In Hosea:

In that day will I make a covenant for them with the wild beast of the field, with the bird of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the earth; and I will break the bow and the sword and war from the earth; and I will make them to lie down securely; and I will betroth thee to Me forever (Hosea 2:18, 19).

This treats of the establishment of a New Church by the Lord. It is clear that the Lord would not then make a covenant with the wild beast of the field, with the bird of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the earth, therefore these signify such things as are with man; "the wild beast of the field" signifying the affection of truth and good, "the bird of the heavens" spiritual thought, and "the creeping thing of the earth" the knowledge [scientificum] of the natural man. (What the rest signifies may be seen above, n.650.) This makes evident that the covenant the Lord will make is a spiritual covenant, or a covenant through spiritual truth, and not a covenant through natural truth such as was made with the sons of Israel; this latter was "the old covenant," the former was "the new covenant."

[21] As "the law" that was promulgated by the Lord from Mount Sinai meant in a broad sense the Word, so also the tables on which that law was written are called "tables of the covenant" in Moses:

I went up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, the tables of the covenant which Jehovah made with you. At the end of forty days and forty nights Jehovah gave to me the two tables of stone, the tables of the covenant (Deuteronomy 9:9, 11).

These "tables," that is, the law written upon them, mean the Divine truth, through which there is conjunction with the Lord, and because of that conjunction they are called "the tables of the covenant;" and as all conjunction, like a covenant, is effected from the part of one and the part of the other, thus in turn on the one side and on the other, so there were two tables, and these were of stone; they were of stone because "stone" signifies the Divine truth in ultimates (See Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4], 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376). For the same reason the ark in which these tables were placed was called "the ark of the Covenant," and with the sons of Israel this was the most holy thing of their worship, as has been shown in the preceding article.

[22] Thirdly, That the commandments, judgments, and statutes commanded to the sons of Israel were to them a covenant, because through these there was then conjunction with the Lord, can be seen from the following passages. In Moses:

If ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments and do them, I will have respect unto you, and will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will establish My covenant with you. But if ye reject My statutes, so that ye do not all My commandments, whilst ye make My covenant void, I will do to you the opposite (Leviticus 26:3, 9, 15seq.).

The statutes and commandments that were to be observed and done are set forth in the preceding chapter, and the goods they were to enjoy if they kept those commandments and statutes, and afterwards the evils that would come upon them if they did not keep them are set forth in this chapter. But the goods they were to enjoy were earthly and worldly goods, so too were the evils, because they were earthly and natural men, and not celestial and spiritual men, and consequently they knew nothing about the goods that affect man inwardly or the evils that afflict him inwardly; nevertheless the externals they were bound to observe were such as inwardly contained celestial and spiritual things, through which there is conjunction itself with the Lord; and as these were perceived in heaven, therefore the externals that the sons of Israel were to observe were called a "covenant." (But what the conjunction was of the Lord with the sons of Israel through these means may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n.248.)

[23] "Covenant" has a like meaning in the following passages. In Moses:

Jehovah said unto Moses, Write thou these words, for upon the mouth of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel (Exodus 34:27).

In the same:

Keep the words of this covenant and do them, ye that stand here this day, your heads, your tribes, your officers, and every man of Israel, to pass over into the covenant of Jehovah and into His oath which Jehovah thy God maketh with thee this day, that He may establish thee this day for a people, and that He may be to thee for God; not with you only do I make this covenant and this oath, but also with everyone who is not here with you this day (Deuteronomy 29:9, 10, 12 -15).

In the second book of Kings:

King Josiah sent and gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem; and the king went up to the house of Jehovah, and every man of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, also the priests and the prophets, and the whole people from small even to great; and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of Jehovah; and the king stood by the pillar, and made the covenant before Jehovah to go after Jehovah and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all the heart and with all the soul, to establish all the words of this covenant written upon this book; and all the people stood in the covenant (2 Kings 23:1-3).

So, too, in other passages (Jeremiah 22:8, 9; 33:20-22; 50:5; Ezekiel 16:8; Malachi 2:14; Psalms 78:37; 50:5, 16; 103:17, 18; 105:8, 9; 106:45; 111:5, 9; Deuteronomy 17:2; 1 Kings 19:14). In all these passages "covenant" is mentioned, and by it the externals that the sons of Israel were to observe are meant.

[24] But as regards the covenant that the Lord made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, this was not the same as the covenant He made with the posterity of Jacob, but it was a covenant on the part of the Lord that their seed should be multiplied, and to their seed the land of Canaan should be given, and on the part of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that every male should be circumcised. That the covenant with the posterity of Jacob was different is evident in Moses:

Jehovah our God made with us a covenant in Horeb; Jehovah made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us (Deuteronomy 5:2, 3).

Regarding the former covenant it is written in Moses:

Jehovah brought Abraham forth abroad, and said, Look toward heaven and number the stars; and He said to him, So shall thy seed be. And He said to him, Take to thee ¹ a heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon. And he divided them in the midst, and he laid each part over against the other, but the birds divided he not. And the sun went down and it became very dark; and behold a furnace of smoke and a torch of fire passed through between the pieces. In that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abraham ² saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates (Genesis 15:5-18).

And afterwards:

I will give My covenant between Me and thee, and I will multiply thee exceedingly. I, behold, My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be for a father of a multitude of nations, and I will make thee fruitful; and I will give to thee and to thy seed after thee the land of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. This is My covenant that ye shall keep between Me and you and thy seed after thee. Every male shall be circumcised to you; he who is not circumcised in the flesh of the foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his peoples, he hath made void My covenant. And My covenant will I set up with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to thee (Genesis 17:1-21).

From this it is clear what kind of a covenant was entered into with Abraham, namely, that "his seed should be multiplied exceedingly, and that the land of Canaan should be given to his seed for a possession." The commandments, judgments, and statutes themselves by which the covenant was to be established are not mentioned, but still they are signified by "the heifer, she-goat, and ram of three years old," and by "the turtle-dove and young pigeon," for these animals signify such things as belong to the church, and "the land of Canaan" itself signifies the church. And because the Lord foresaw that the posterity of Abraham from Jacob would not keep the covenant, there appeared to Abraham "a furnace of smoke and a torch of fire passing through between the pieces;" "a furnace of smoke" signifying the dense falsity, and "the torch of fire" the direful evil into which the posterity of Jacob would come. This is confirmed also in Jeremiah 33:18-20. "Abraham divided the heifer, the she-goat, and the ram, and laid each part over against the other," according to the ritual of covenants between two parties. (But this may be seen fully explained in Arcana Coelestia 1783-1862.)

[25] The covenant was made by circumcision because circumcision represented the purification from the loves of self and of the world which are bodily and earthly loves, and the removal of these; therefore also the circumcision was made with a little knife of stone, which signified the truth of doctrine, by which all purification from evils and falsities and their removal is effected. (But the particulars recorded in that chapter respecting this covenant are explained in Arcana Coelestia 1987-2095; and respecting circumcision, n. 2039 at the end, 2046 at the end, 2632, 2799, 4462, 7044, 8093.) But as "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," mean in the internal sense the Lord, so "their seed" signify all who are of the Lord's church, which church is meant by "the land of Canaan," which their seed was to inherit.

[26] There was also a covenant entered into with Noah:

That men should no more perish by the waters of a flood, and that a bow should be in the cloud for a sign of that covenant (Genesis 6:17, 18; 9:9, 17).

Conjunction of the Lord through Divine truth is involved also in that covenant, as can be seen from the explanation of the above in the Arcana Coelestia 659-675, 1022-1059. That "the bow in the cloud," or the rainbow, here signifies regeneration, which is effected by Divine truth and a life according to it, and that consequently that bow was taken for a sign of the covenant, may also be seen in the same work (n. 1042).

[27] Fourth, That further, whatever conjoins is called a covenant; as the Sabbath in Moses:

The sons of Israel shall keep the Sabbath in their generations, the covenant of an age (Exodus 31:16).

The Sabbath was called "the covenant of an age," because the "Sabbath" signified in the highest sense the union of the Divine with the Human in the Lord, and in a relative sense the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church, and in a universal sense the conjunction of good and truth, which conjunction is called the heavenly marriage. Therefore "the rest on the Sabbath day" signified the state of that union and of that conjunction, since by that state there is peace and rest to the Lord, and thereby peace and salvation in the heavens and on the earth. (That this is the signification of "the Sabbath" and "the rest," then, can be seen in Arcana Coelestia 8494, 8495, 8510, 10356, 10360, 10367, 10370, 10374, 10668, 10730.)

[28] Again, the salt in the sacrifices is called "the salt of the covenant" in Moses:

Thou shalt not cause the salt of the covenant of thy God to cease upon thine offering, upon all thine offering thou shalt offer salt (Leviticus 2:13).

The salt upon the offering is called "the salt of the covenant," because "salt" signifies the desire of truth for good, whereby the two are conjoined. (On this signification of "salt" see Arcana Coelestia 9207.)

[29] A wife is called "the wife of a covenant" in Malachi:

Jehovah hath been a witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously, though she is thy companion and the wife of thy covenant (Malachi 2:14).

A wife is here called "the wife of the covenant" from her conjunction with her husband, but "wife" here signifies the church, and "the wife of youth" the Ancient Church, against which the Jewish Church is said to have dealt treacherously. Because these were both representative churches, and in this respect alike, and thus were conjoined, it is said, "though she is thy companion and the wife of thy covenant."

[30] "A covenant with the stones of the field" is spoken of in Job:

Thou shalt not be afraid of the wild beast of the field, for with the stones of the field is thy covenant, and the wild beast of the field shall be at peace with thee (Job 5:22, 23).

"A covenant with the stones of the field" signifies conjunction with the truths of the church, for "stones" signify truths, "field" the church, and "covenant" conjunction; "the wild beast of the field" signifies the love of falsity, of which wild beast "thou shalt not be afraid," and which "shall be at peace," when there is conjunction with the church through truths.

[31] Again, "a covenant with wild beasts and birds" is spoken of in Hosea:

In that day will I make a covenant for them with the wild beast of the field, with the bird of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the earth (Hosea 2:18).

And in Moses:

God said unto Noah, Behold I establish My covenant with you and with every living soul that is with you, the bird, the beast, and every wild beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, even every wild beast of the earth (Genesis 9:9, 10).

"A covenant with beast, wild beast, bird and creeping thing of the earth," signifies conjunction with such things with man as are signified by these, for "beast" signifies the affection of good, "wild beast" the affection of truth, "bird" the thinking faculty, and "creeping thing of the earth" the knowing faculty which lives from these affections.

[32] "A covenant with death" is spoken of in Isaiah:

Ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell we have made vision. Your covenant with death shall be abolished, and your vision with hell shall not stand (Isaiah 28:15, 18).

"To make a covenant with death" signifies conjunction through falsity from hell, from which man dies spiritually; "to make a vision with hell" signifies divination from hell as if prophetic. From the passages here cited in series it can be seen that "covenant," where the Lord is treated of, signifies conjunction through Divine truth. There is, indeed, a conjunction with Him through the good of love; but because the Lord flows in with man through good into truths, whereby man has the affection of truth, and receives the Lord's good in truths, from which he acknowledges, confesses, and worships the Lord, thence the good of love conjoins through truth, comparatively as the heat of the sun in the time of spring and summer conjoins itself with the fructifications of the earth.

Notas de rodapé: