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Arcana Coelestia #10360

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10360. And ye shall keep the Sabbath. That this signifies that the Divine Human of the Lord is to be worshiped, is evident from the signification of “keeping,” when said of the Divine, as being to worship; and from the signification of “the Sabbath,” as being in the supreme sense the union of the Divine which is called the “Father” and of the Divine Human which is called the “Son,” thus the Divine Human in which is this union. This union is signified by “the Sabbath,” because by the six days of labor which precede the seventh is signified every state of combat; for in the spiritual sense “labor” does not mean such labor as there is in the world, but such as those who are in the church endure before they enter the church and become the church, which labor is combat against evils and falsities of evil. A like “labor” (in the spiritual sense) was endured by the Lord when He was in the world; for He then fought against the hells, and reduced them and likewise the heavens into order, and at the same time He glorified His Human, that is, He united it to the Divine Itself which He had from conception (see n. 9715, 9809).

[2] The time and state when the Lord was in combats is signified by the six days of labor, but the state when the union had been effected is signified by the seventh day, which is called “the Sabbath,” from “rest,” because the Lord then had rest. Consequently by “the Sabbath” is signified also the conjunction of the Lord with heaven, with the church, with an angel of heaven, and with a man of the church. The reason is that all who are to come into heaven must first be in combats against evils and the falsities of evil, and when these have been separated they enter heaven and are conjoined with the Lord, and then they have rest. It is similar with men in the world. It is known that these must be in combats, that is, that they must undergo temptations, before the good and truth which make the church have been implanted in them; thus before they have been conjoined with the Lord, consequently before they have rest. From this it is evident whence it is that a state of combat is signified by the six days of labor, while rest and also conjunction are signified by the seventh day or the Sabbath.

[3] That the conjunction of good and truth also, is signified by “the Sabbath,” is because when a man is in combats he is in truths; but when truths have been conjoined with good, thus when the man is in good, he then has rest; in like manner as the Lord, when He was in the world, and fought with the hells, was in respect to His Human Divine truth; and when He had united His Human to the Divine Itself, He then, even in respect to His Human, became the Divine good, or Jehovah.

[4] (That the six days which precede the Sabbath denote the combats which precede and prepare for the heavenly marriage, which is the conjunction of good and truth, may be seen in n. 8510, 8888, 9431. As regards the former state, when man is in truths and at the same time in combats against evils and falsities of evils, which state is signified by “the six days of labor,” and as regards the latter state, when he is in good and is led by the Lord, which is signified by “the Sabbath,” see n. 7923, 7992, 8505, 8506, 8510, 8512, 8516, 8539, 8643, 8648, 8658, 8685, 8690, 8701, 8772, 9139, 9224, 9227, 9230, 9274, 9832. That when the Lord was in the world He made His Human first Divine truth, and afterward Divine good, see the places cited in n. 9199, 9315; and that He did this by the combats of temptations, see the places cited in n. 9528.)

[5] Therefore he who knows that by “the Sabbath” in the supreme sense is meant the union of the Divine Itself in the Divine Human of the Lord, may know what those things signify which are so often said in the Word about the Sabbath, as in Isaiah:

If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, so that thou doest not thine inclinations on the day of My holiness; but shalt call the Sabbath honorable delights to the Holy One of Jehovah; and shalt honor it, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own desire, nor speaking a word; then shalt thou delight thyself upon Jehovah; and I will exalt thee on the high places of the earth, and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father (Isaiah 58:13-14);

He who is acquainted with the internal sense of the Word can plainly see that in this passage by “the Sabbath” is signified the state of conjunction of man with the Lord, thus the state when man is led by the Lord and not by himself, which state is when he is in good. For to be led by the Lord, and not by self, is to “turn away the foot from the Sabbath, not to do one’s own inclinations, not to do one’s own ways, not to find one’s own desire, and not to speak a word.” That in this case the church is in him, and also heaven, is signified by that “he shall be exalted on the high places of the earth, and shall be fed with the heritage of Jacob.” Moreover, that “the Sabbath” denotes the Divine Human in which is union, is signified by the Sabbath being called “a day of holiness and of delight to the Holy One of Jehovah.”

[6] And in Jeremiah:

If ye will hallow the Sabbath day, then shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in the chariot and on horses (Jeremiah 17:24-25);

He who is not acquainted with the internal sense of the Word will suppose that these things are to be understood according to the sense of the letter, namely, that if they would hallow the Sabbath, kings and princes would enter in by the gates of the city Jerusalem, and would ride in the chariot and on horses. This however is not the meaning; but that those who reverently worship the Divine Human of the Lord shall be in the Divine truths of heaven and of the church; for by “Jerusalem” is meant the church; by “kings and princes,” its Divine truths; by “the throne of David,” heaven where the Lord is; by “chariot,” the doctrine of good and truth; and by “horses,” an enlightened understanding. (That “Jerusalem” denotes the church, see n. 2117, 3654; that “kings” denote Divine truths, n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148; that “princes” denote primary truths, n. 1482, 2089, 9954; that a “throne” denotes heaven, n. 5313; that “a chariot” denotes the doctrine of good and truth, n. 5321, 8215; and that “horses” denote an understanding which is enlightened, n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6534)

[7] As by “the Sabbath” was signified the Lord as to the Divine Human in which there is union, it was therefore commanded that the breads of faces should be set in order upon the table every Sabbath (Leviticus 24:8). That the Lord as to the Divine Human is meant by “bread” is known in the church. For this reason also when the Lord was in the world He called Himself “the Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:27-28; Luke 6:1-5).

[8] And therefore when the Lord was in the world, and united His Human to the Divine Itself, He abrogated the Sabbath in respect to representative worship, or in respect to its worship such as was with the Israelitish people; and made the Sabbath day a day of instruction in the doctrine of faith and of love. This is involved in what is written in John:

Jesus healing a certain man on the Sabbath day said to him, Take up thy bed and walk; and he took up his bed and walked. But the Jews said that it was not allowable to carry a bed on the Sabbath day, and sought to kill the Lord, because He loosed the Sabbath (John 5:8-10, 18).

By the “healing of the sick” is signified the purifying of man from evils and the falsities of evil; by a “bed” is signified doctrine; and by “walking” is signified life.

[9] (That all the healings of diseases which were performed by the Lord involve purification from evils and falsities, or restorations to spiritual life, see n. 8364, 9031, 9086; and that “to walk” denotes life, n. 519, 1794, 8417, 8420.) That a “bed” denotes doctrine is evident from the passages in the Word where a “bed” is mentioned, and also from the representatives in the other life, where when a bed appears and one lying on it, there is signified the doctrine in which he is; consequently beds appear there most highly adorned for those who are in truths from good. But no one can know that such things are signified by the above words of the Lord except by the internal sense, for the Lord spoke by correspondences, thus by significatives, because from the Divine.

  
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Arcana Coelestia #1672

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1672. And the kings that were with him. That this signifies the apparent truth which is of that good, is evident from the signification of “kings” in the Word. “Kings,” “kingdoms,” and “peoples,” in the historical and the prophetical parts of the Word, signify truths and the things which are of truths, as may be abundantly confirmed. In the Word an accurate distinction is made between a “people” and a “nation;” by a “people” are signified truths, and by a “nation” goods, as before shown (n. 1259, 1260). “Kings” are predicated of peoples, but not so much of nations. Before the sons of Israel sought for kings, they were a nation, and represented good, or the celestial; but after they desired a king, and received one, they became a people, and did not represent good or the celestial, but truth or the spiritual; which was the reason why this was imputed to them as a fault (see 1 Samuel 8:7-22, concerning which subject, of the Lord’s Divine mercy elsewhere). As Chedorlaomer is named here, and it is added, “the kings that were with him,” both good and truth are signified; by “Chedorlaomer,” good, and by “the kings,” truth. But what was the quality of the good and truth at the beginning of the Lord’s temptations has already been stated.

  
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Arcana Coelestia #6426

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6426. From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel. That this signifies that from this is all good and truth in the spiritual kingdom, is evident from the signification of a “shepherd,” as being one who leads to the good of charity by means of the truth of faith (see n. 344, 3795, 6044); here in the supreme sense, because the Lord is treated of, it signifies good and truth itself; from the signification of “stone,” as being truth (see n. 1298, 3720, 3769, 3771, 3773, 3789, 3798); and from the representation of Israel, as being the spiritual church (see n. 3305, 4286); for “Israel” is spiritual good, or the good of truth (n. 4286, 4598, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833); and as the good of truth is the very essential of the spiritual church, therefore by “Israel” the spiritual church is signified, and in a higher sense the Lord’s spiritual kingdom.

[2] From all this it is evident that by “from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel” is signified that from this is all the good and truth of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom. That in the highest sense the “stone of Israel” denotes the Lord in respect to the truth that is in His spiritual kingdom, is because by “stone” in general is signified the temple, and specifically its foundation, and by the “temple” is signified the Lord’s Divine Human (as is evident in John 2:19, 21), and also by its foundation (Matthew 21:42, 44; and Isaiah 28:16). That in the highest sense a “stone” denotes the Lord as to the Divine truth that is of His spiritual kingdom, is evident in David:

The stone which the architects rejected, is become the head of the corner. This was done from Jehovah: it is marvelous in our eyes (Psalms 118:22-23).

That the “stone” here is the Lord, is evident in Luke:

It is written, The stone which the architects rejected, the same is become the head of the whosoever shall fall upon this stone shall be broken; but upon whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder (Luke 20:17-18).

These words the Lord speaks concerning Himself. And in Isaiah:

Let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread; for He shall be for a sanctuary, although a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, to the two houses of Israel; many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken (Isaiah 8:13-15); where the subject treated of is the Lord. Again:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold I will lay for a foundation in Zion a stone, a tried stone, of a precious corner, of a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not hurry (Isaiah 28:16).

In Zechariah:

Jehovah Zebaoth shall visit His flock, the house of Judah, and shall make them as a horse of glory in war; from Him is the corner stone, from Him the nail, from Him the war bow (Zech. 10:3-4).

[3] In Daniel:

Thou sawest even until a stone was cut out which was not done with hands, and it smote the image upon its feet, that were iron and clay, and brake them in pieces. The stone that smote the image became a great rock, and filled the whole earth. The God of the heavens shall make a kingdom rise up that shall not be destroyed forever, nor shall His kingdom be left to another people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, but itself shall stand forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the rock, which was not done with hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold (Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45);

here by a “stone” in the highest sense is meant the Lord, and in the relative sense His spiritual kingdom; that the stone was “cut out of a rock” signifies that it was from the truth of faith, for this is signified in the Word by a “rock;” and as the truth of faith is signified by “stone” and “rock,” it is the Lord’s spiritual kingdom that is also signified, for this is in the truth of faith, and from this in good.

[4] By the “stone” also upon which Jacob slept, and which he afterward set for a pillar, the like is signified, of which it is written:

Jacob awoke out of his sleep, and he said, Surely Jehovah is in this place, and I knew it not; and he feared, and said, How terrible is this place! this is nothing but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had set for his pillows, and set it for a pillar, and poured oil upon the head of it; and he said, This stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God’s house (Genesis 28:16-18, 22).

That in the highest sense the ancients understood the Lord by a “stone,” and in the representative sense His spiritual kingdom, is also clear in Joshua:

Joshua set up a stone under the oak that was in the sanctuary of Jehovah. And Joshua said unto the universal people, Behold, this stone shall be to us for a witness; for it hath heard all the discourses of Jehovah, which He spake to us; and it shall be for a witness against you, lest ye deny your God (Josh. 24:26-27).

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.