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.

7992. For all the sons of Israel unto their generations. That this signifies those of the spiritual church with whom there is good from truth, and truth from good, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church (of which frequently above); and from the signification of “generations,” as being those things which are of faith and charity (see n. 2020, 2584, 6239), thus those with whom there is good from truth and truth from good; for they who are of the spiritual church are introduced to the good which is of charity by means of the truth which is of faith, and when they have been introduced, they are led by good to truths. They who are led by good to truths are they who constitute the internal church; but they who are introduced to good by means of truth are they who constitute the external church.

6239. And thy generation which thou begettest after them. That this signifies interior truths and goods, which are afterward, is evident from the signification of “generation,” as being the things that belong to faith and charity (see n. 613, 2020, 2584), thus truths and goods; and from the signification of “after them” as being the interior things which are afterward. That interior things are signified is because the things which are begotten from the internal afterward, are more interior; for those things which have been begotten previously serve successively for producing those which are begotten afterward more interiorly, for the internal elevates the natural to itself by degrees. This is plain from the generation of all things of the intellectual in man; for man is first sensuous, afterward he becomes more and more interior, even until he becomes intellectual. It is the same with the new generation which is effected by means of faith and charity. Hence it is that man is perfected by degrees (see what was said above about the successive elevation toward the interiors when man is being regenerated, n. 6183).

[2] That “generation” in the Word signifies the things that belong to faith and charity, is because no other generation than a spiritual one can be understood in the internal sense. This generation is also meant in David:

They shall fear a fear; for God is in the generation of the righteous (Psalms 14:5).

The “generation of the righteous” denotes truths from good, for “righteousness” is predicated of good.

In Isaiah:

They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for terror; they are the seed of the blessed of Jehovah (Isaiah 65:23).

Again:

Who hath wrought and done it? Who calleth the generations from the beginning? I, Jehovah, the first, and with the last I am the same (Isaiah 41:4).

In Ezekiel:

Thy tradings and thy generations are of the land of the Canaanite; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother was a Hittite. As to thy generations, in the day when thou wast born thy navel was not cut off, and thou wast not washed with waters for My sight (Ezekiel 16:3-4);

speaking of the abominations of Jerusalem, where it is very manifest that “generations” are generations in a spiritual sense.

[3] Again in Isaiah:

Awake as in the days of eternity, the generations of eternities (Isaiah 51:9).

The “days of eternity” denote the state and time of the Most Ancient Church, of which “eternity” is predicated because it was in the good of love to the Lord, to which good, because it is immediately from the Lord, “eternity” is ascribed; “generations of eternities” are the goods thence derived.

[4] So in Moses:

Remember the days of eternity, understand the years of generation and generation (Deuteronomy 32:7); where the “days of eternity” denote the state and time of the Most Ancient Church which was before the flood, and was a celestial church; the “years of generation and generation” denote the state and time of the Ancient Church which was after the flood, and was a spiritual church; which churches are here treated of.

[5] And in Joel:

Judah shall abide to eternity, and Jerusalem to generation and generation (Joel 3:20);

“eternity” is here predicated of Judah, because by Judah is represented the celestial church (n. 3881); and “generation and generation” is predicated of Jerusalem, because by “Jerusalem” is signified the spiritual church (n. 402).

[6] In Isaiah:

My righteousness shall be to eternity, and My salvation to generation of generations (Isaiah 51:8); where “eternity” is predicated of the good of love, for “righteousness” is predicated of this good (n. 612, 2235); and “generation,” of the good of faith.

[7] And in David:

Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all eternities, and Thy dominion to all generation and generation (Psalms 145:13); where the sense is the same; for unless “eternity” is predicated of what is celestial, and “generation” of what is spiritual, only one would be mentioned; both would be a useless repetition.

[8] The things that belong to a state of faith are also signified by the command that a bastard should not come into the congregation of Jehovah to the tenth generation (Deuteronomy 23:2); an Ammonite and a Moabite not even to the tenth generation (Deuteronomy 23:3), and that an Edomite and an Egyptian might come into the congregation of Jehovah in the third generation (Deuteronomy 23:8). So in the commandment of the Decalogue, in that Jehovah God would visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons, upon the third and fourth generation with respect to those who hate Him (Exodus 20:5).

[9] That “generations” denote the things of faith and charity, is because in the spiritual sense no other generations can be meant than those which are of regeneration, or of one who is regenerate; in like manner as the “births,” “childbearings,” and “conceptions” in the Word: that these terms denote the births, childbearings, and conceptions of faith and charity (n. 1145, 1255, 3860, 3868, 4668, 5160, 5598).