Consider the beautiful but cryptic statements of John 1:1:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

God's love has always been and will always be infinite and perfect. That means the expression of God's love -- His truth -- has also always been and will always be infinite and perfect.

The Lord has shared this truth with us in various ways since the beginning of humanity. The earliest people received truth directly, flowing into the inner parts of their minds from heaven. Later, people understood it through nature seeing the Lord's love expressed in mountains, trees, rivers, and the sun, moon and stars. By using natural language as a container for spiritual language, the Lord expressed truth within the Bible inside its stories, laws and prophecies. When humanity reached its lowest point, God took on a human form and walked among us as Jesus. In this way, the Lord brought us Divine truths in an accessible and tangible way. By accepting and loving the Lord as Jesus we can open ourselves to His love.

Finally, the Heavenly Doctrine received through the pen of Emanuel Swedenborg are themselves a container for Divine Truth, both in speaking plainly about heaven and by unlocking the truth as it is contained in the Bible.

The Word itself is Divine Truth; the Lord's expression of love has and never will change.

2566. 'Flocks and herds' means, enriched with rational goods and natural goods.... This is clear from the meaning of 'flocks and herds'. The word 'flock' is used of those inside the Church who are truly rational, that is, who are internal people; and from this 'flock' also means - abstractedly - rational or internal goods themselves. Regarding the meaning of 'a flock', see 343, 415, 1565. The word 'herd' however is used of those inside the Church who are natural, that is, who are external people; and from this too 'herd' means - abstractedly - natural or external goods themselves. Regarding this meaning of 'herd', see 2180. It has been shown that 'beasts' has these meanings in 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 776, 1823, 2179. 'Abimelech took and gave' means that the doctrine of faith was enriched, for, as has been stated, 'Abimelech' means the doctrine of faith.