939. O Lord God Almighty, signifies because He is Divine good. This is evident from the signification of "omnipotence," as meaning to be, to exist, to have ability, and to live, from Himself (See n. 43, 689); and as all goods and truths are from Him because they are in Him it is said "Lord God;" for He is called "Lord" from the Divine good, and "God" from the Divine truth; and as He has omnipotence from the Divine good through the Divine truth, it is said "Lord God Almighty." (That the Lord is called "Lord" in the Word from the Divine good, see n. 685; and "God" from the Divine truth, n. 24, 220, 688)

[2] It is known that man's interior must be purified before the good that he does is good; for the Lord says:

Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside may be clean also (Matthew 13:26).

Man's interior is purified only as he refrains from evils, in accordance with the commandments of the Decalogue. So long as man does not refrain from these evils and does not shun and turn away from them as sins, they constitute his interior, and are like an interposed veil or covering, and in heaven this appears like an eclipse by which the sun is obscured and light is intercepted; also like a fountain of pitch or of black water, from which nothing emanates but what is impure. That which emanates therefrom and that appears before the world as good is not good, because it is defiled by evils from within, for it is Pharisaic and hypocritical good. This good is good from man and is meritorious good. It is otherwise when evils have been removed by a life according to the commandments of the Decalogue.

[3] Now since evils must be removed before goods can become goods, the Ten Commandments were the first of the Word, being promulgated from Mount Sinai before the Word was written by Moses and the Prophets. And these do not set forth goods that must be done, but evils that must be shunned. For the same reason these commandments are the first things to be taught in the churches; for they are taught to boys and girls in order that man may begin his Christian life with them, and by no means forget them as he grows up; although he does so. The same is meant by these words in Isaiah:

What is the multitude of sacrifices to Me? Your meal-offering, your incense, your new moons, and your appointed feasts, My soul hateth. And when you multiply prayer I will not hear. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil. Then though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow; though they be red as purple they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:11-19).

"Sacrifices," "meal-offerings," "incense," "new moons," and "feasts," also "prayer," mean all things of worship. That these are wholly evil and even abominable unless the interior is purified from evils is meant by "Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings, and cease to do evil." That afterwards they are all goods is meant by the words that follow.

24. And from the seven spirits, signifies the Divine in heaven. This is evident from the signification of "seven," as being what is full, and therefore all, and from its being predicated of the holy Divine things that proceed from the Lord (See above, n. 20); also from the signification of "spirits," as being those of whom heaven consists; for all these are called "spirits of God," since the Spirit of God is the Divine proceeding, or Divine truth united to Divine good in heaven and the church (Arcana Coelestia 9818); and the Divine proceeding or Divine truth united to Divine good, forms and creates the angel, and thus makes him [what he is] according to quality and quantity of reception (See the work on Heaven and Hell 7-12).

From this it is evident that by "the seven spirits" (of which more below), are not meant seven spirits, but all who are in heaven; as by the "seven churches" are not meant seven churches, but all who are in truths from good, or who are of the church (See above, n. 20). When this is understood, an arcanum is opened, namely, the meaning of "Jehovah God" in the Word; which is, that by "Jehovah" is meant the Divine Esse, and by "God" the Divine Existere in heaven. The Divine that is meant by "God" is the Divine Existere in heaven, because the Divine in heaven is in many; therefore in the Hebrew language, God is called "Elohim," in the plural; for the same reason angels are called gods, not that they are gods, but because the Divine of the Lord that is in them is meant by "God."

(That in the Word the Lord is called Jehovah from Esse or Essence, and God from Existere or Existence, see Arcana Coelestia 300, 3910, 6905; also that the Divine Esse is Divine good, and that the Divine Existere is Divine truth, n. 3061, 6280, 6880, 6905, 10579; and in general, that good is esse, and truth is existere therefrom, n. 5002. That angels are called gods from the reception of Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of the Lord, n. 4295, 4402, 7268, 7873, 8301, 8192; and that Divine truth united to Divine good in heaven, is called, in one phrase, Divine truth, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 13, 133, 140)