3439. I am the God of Abraham thy father; fear not, for I am with thee. That this signifies that the Divine also was therein, namely, in the literal sense of the Word, is evident from the representation of Abraham, as being the Lord’s Divine (n. 2833, 2836, 3251, 3305); hence Jehovah the “God of Abraham” signifies the Lord’s Divine which is represented by Abraham; and because the subject treated of is the Word, which also is the Lord, because all the Word is from Him and everything of the Word is concerning Him, therefore by “I am the God of Abraham thy father; fear not, for I am with thee” is signified that the Divine also is therein. As regards the Divine in the Word, the case is this:

The Divine Itself is in the supreme sense of the Word, because therein is the Lord; the Divine is also in the internal sense, because therein is the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens, and hence this sense is called celestial and spiritual; the Divine is also in the literal sense of the Word, because therein is the Lord’s kingdom in the earths; hence this sense is called the external, and also the natural, sense, for in it are gross appearances more remote from the Divine; and yet the things therein are each and all Divine. With these three senses the case is as with the tabernacle: its inmost, or what was within the veil, where was the ark containing the testimony, was most holy, or the holy of holies; its internal, or what was immediately without the veil, where were the golden table and candlestick, was holy; and the external, where the court was, was also holy; in it the congregation assembled, and hence it was called the tent of the assembly.

1783. THE INTERNAL SENSE

The things which are here contained, are as before said true historicals, namely, that Jehovah spoke thus with Abram, and that the land of Canaan was promised him as an inheritance; that he was commanded so to place the heifer, the she-goat, ram, turtledove, and young pigeon; that the fowls came down upon the bodies; that a deep sleep fell upon him, and in the sleep a terror of darkness; and that when the sun had set, there was seen by him as it were a furnace of smoke with a torch of fire between the parts; besides the other historicals. These are true historicals, but still each and all of them, even to the least of what was done, are representative; and the words themselves by which they are described, are, as to the smallest iota, significative. That is to say, in each and all of these things there is an internal sense; for each and all of the things contained in the Word are inspired, and being inspired they cannot but be from a heavenly origin; that is, they must necessarily store up within them celestial and spiritual things, for otherwise it could not possibly be the Word of the Lord.

[2] These are the things contained in the internal sense; and when this sense lies open, the sense of the letter is obliterated, as if there were none; and on the other hand, when attention is given solely to the historical sense or that of the letter, the internal sense is obliterated, as if there were none. These two are related as is heavenly light to the light of the world; and, conversely, as is the light of the world to heavenly light. When heavenly light appears, then the light of the world is as thick darkness; as has been made known to me by experience; but when anyone is in the light of the world, then heavenly light, if it appeared, would be as thick darkness; the same as with human minds: to him who places everything in human wisdom, or in memory-knowledges, heavenly wisdom appears as an obscure nothing; but to him who is in heavenly wisdom, human wisdom is as a kind of obscure general affair, which, if there were not heavenly rays in it, would be as thick darkness.