According to Swedenborg, a person's name in the Bible represents his or her entire spiritual nature, their whole state of love (good or evil) and thought (from heavenly wisdom to infernal insanity). This is why the name of the Lord is so important; it represents and embodies His perfect love and perfect wisdom, which is everything that we should worship and follow. It's easy to see that names are important in the Bible. Jehovah changed Abram and Sarai to Abraham and Sarah, changed Jacob to Israel and included in the Ten Commandments the order that believers "shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." In the New Testament, Zacharias was told to name John the Baptist "John," and both Joseph (Matthew 1:21) and Mary (Luke 1:31) were told to name Jesus "Jesus." Jesus himself renamed Simon as Peter, and included the phrase "hallowed be thy name" in the Lord's prayer.

(Izinkomba: Luke 1)

2736. I have been informed that genuine conjugial love is innocence itself, which resides in wisdom. With those who have lived in conjugial love wisdom exists more than with all others in heaven, yet when looked at by others they are seen as little children in the bloom and springtime of life; and whatever happens, it is joy and happiness to them. They are in the inmost heaven, which is called the heaven of innocence. Through that heaven the Lord flows into conjugial love, and angels from it are present with men and women who live in that love. They are present also with little children in the first years of their life.