7205. 'And I will redeem you with an outstretched arm' means leading out of hell by Divine power. This is clear from the meaning of 'redeeming' as leading out of hell (for the use of the word 'redemption' in connection with servitude, evil, and death, from which people are released, so that they are released from hell, and for the Lord's being called the Redeemer in respect of His Divine Human, see 6281); and from the meaning of 'an outstretched arm' as Divine. For 'arm' means power, see 878, 4931, 4932, 4934, 4935; but the reason why 'an out-stretched arm' means almighty or Divine power is that in heaven when an arm is seen outstretched it represents power from the Divine. When it is not outstretched however but bent, power in an ordinary sense is meant. This now explains why in the Word the expressions 'outstretched arm' and 'strong hand' are used many times to mean Divine power, as in Jeremiah,

I have made the earth, man, and beast that are on the face of the earth, by My great strength and by My outstretched arm. Jeremiah 17:5.

In the same prophet,

Ah, Lord Jehovih! Behold, You have made heaven and earth by Your great strength and by Your outstretched arm; there is no matter ¹ that is too wonderful for You. And You led Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt by signs and by miracles, and by a strong hand and by an outstretched arm. Jeremiah 32:17, 21.

In Ezekiel,

I will lead you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the lands into which you were scattered, by a strong hand and by an outstretched arm. Ezekiel 20:34.

In David,

He led Israel out from the midst of the Egyptians, by a strong hand and an outstretched arm. Psalms 136:11-12.

In addition to these places see Deuteronomy 4:34; 5:15; 7:19; 9:29; 11:2; 26:8; 1 Kings 8:42; 2 Kings 17:36.

Notas de rodapé:

4931. CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE GRAND MAN - continued

IN THIS SECTION THE CORRESPONDENCE OF THE HANDS, THE ARMS, THE FEET, AND THE LOINS WITH IT

It has been shown already that the whole of heaven bears resemblance to a human being, together with each of his organs, members, and viscera. It has been shown too that this is so because heaven bears resemblance to the Lord; for the Lord is the All in all of heaven, so much its All that, properly speaking, heaven is essentially Divine Good and Divine Truth received from the Lord. For this reason heaven is distinguished into many so to speak separate provinces, as many as there are in a person's viscera, organs, and members, with which also there is a correspondence. Unless such a correspondence existed of the human being with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord, he could not remain in existence for even a single moment, all things being held in connection with one another by means of influx.

[2] But all those provinces are linked to two kingdoms - the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom. The first of these - the celestial kingdom - is the kingdom of the heart within the Grand Man; the second - the spiritual kingdom - is the kingdom of the lungs there. And in the same way as in the human being, the heart reigns, and so do the lungs, in every single part of the Grand Man. These two kingdoms combine in a marvellous way. Their combination likewise is represented in the combination of the heart and lungs in the human being, and in the combined workings of the two within each member and interior organ.

[3] While a person is an embryo, that is, while still in the womb, he is in the kingdom of the heart. But once he has struggled out of the womb he enters the kingdom of the lungs. Then, if he allows the truths of faith to lead him into the good of love, he returns from the kingdom of the lungs within the Grand Man to the kingdom of the heart. For thereby he enters the womb a second time and is born again. Once again those two kingdoms become combined in him, but the order has been turned around. Previously the kingdom of the heart in him was under the control of the lungs, but now the kingdom of the lungs comes under the control of the heart. That is, first of all the truth of faith has dominion in him, but afterwards the good of charity does so. For the correspondence of the heart with the good of love and that of the lungs with the truth of faith, see 3635, 3883-3896.