From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #10360

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

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.

  
/ 10837  
  

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #9954

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

9954. And thou shalt anoint them. That this signifies a representative of the Lord as to the good of love, is evident from the signification of “anointing,” as being inauguration to represent (see n. 9474). That it denotes inauguration to represent the Lord as to the good of love, or what is similar, to represent the good of love which is from the Lord, is because by the oil wherewith the anointing was done is signified the good of love (n. 886, 4582, 4638, 9780). It is important to know about this, because anointing has remained in use from ancient time to the present day; for kings are anointed; and anointing is accounted holy at the present day in like manner as it was formerly. Among the ancients, when all external worship was performed by means of representatives, that is, by such things as represented the interior things of faith and love from the Lord and to Him, thus such as are Divine, anointing was instituted for the reason that the oil with which the anointing was done, signified the good of love; for they knew that the good of love was that essential thing from which all things of the church and of worship live, because it is the being of life. For the Divine flows in with a man through the good of love, and makes his life, indeed that heavenly life in which truths are received in good. From this it is plain what anointing represented. Wherefore the things which were anointed were called holy, and were also accounted as holy, and were of service to the church for representing Divine and heavenly things, and in the supreme sense the Lord Himself who is good itself, thus for representing the good of love which is from Him, and also the truth of faith insofar as it lives from the good of love. From this then it was that at that time they anointed stones that were set up for pillars; also weapons of war, such as shields and bucklers; and afterward the altar and all its vessels; likewise the Tent of meeting, and all things therein; and moreover, those who administered the priesthood, and their garments; likewise prophets, and lastly kings, who from this were called “the anointed of Jehovah.” It also became customary to anoint themselves and others, in order to testify gladness of mind and goodwill.

[2] As regards the first point: That they anointed stones erected for pillars, this is evident in the book of Genesis:

Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had placed for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the head of it (Genesis 28:18).

The reason why they anointed stones in this manner was that “stones” signified truths, and truths without good have no life of heaven within them, that is, no life from the Divine. But when the stones were anointed with oil, they represented truths from good, and in the supreme sense the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine good, thus the Lord Himself, who from this was called “the Stone of Israel” (n. 6426). (That “stones” denote truths, see n. 643, 1298, 3720, 3769, 3771, 3773, 3789, 3798, 6426, 8941, 9476; in like manner “pillars,” n. 3727, 4580, 9388, 9389; and that “to anoint pillars” denotes to cause truths to be from good, thus to be truths of good, consequently goods, see n. 3728, 4090, 4582.) That stones erected for pillars were afterward accounted holy, is evident from the same chapter of Genesis, where it is said:

Jacob called the name of that place Bethel, and said, If I return in peace to my father’s house, this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house (Genesis 28:19-22).

“Bethel” means “the house of God,” and “the house of God” denotes the church, and also heaven, and in the supreme sense the Lord Himself (n. 3720).

[3] Secondly: That they anointed the weapons of war, such as shields and bucklers, is evident in Isaiah:

Rise up, ye Princes, anoint the shield (Isaiah 21:5).

The shield of the heroes was defiled, the shield of Saul not anointed with oil (2 Samuel 1:21).

The reason why weapons of war were anointed, was that they signified truths fighting against falsities; and truths from good are what prevail against falsities; but not truths without good. Wherefore weapons of war represented the truths that proceed from the good which is from the Lord, thus the truths by means of which the Lord Himself in men fights for them against falsities from evil, that is, against the hells. (That “weapons of war” denote truths that fight against falsities, see n. 1788, 2686; for in the Word “war” signifies spiritual combat, see n. 1664, 2686, 8273, 8295; and “enemies” signify the hells, and in general, evils and falsities, n. 2851, 8289, 9314.)

[4] Thirdly: That they anointed the altar and all its vessels, also the Tent of meeting and all the things therein, is evident in Moses:

Jehovah said unto Moses, Thou shalt anoint the altar and sanctify it (Exodus 29:36).

Thou shalt make an anointing oil of holiness with which thou shalt anoint the Tent of meeting, and the ark of the Testimony, and the table and all the vessels thereof, and the lampstand and all the vessels thereof, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt-offering and all the vessels thereof, and the laver and the base thereof. Thus thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be holy of holies; whosoever toucheth them shall sanctify himself (Exodus 30:25-29).

Thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the Habitation, and all that is therein, and thou shalt sanctify it, and all the vessels thereof, that they may be holy. And thou shalt anoint the altar of burnt-offering, and all its vessels, and thou shalt sanctify the altar, that the altar may be holy of holies. And thou shalt anoint the laver and its base, and shalt sanctify it (Exodus 40:9-11).

Moses anointed the Habitation and all that was therein; and he sprinkled of the oil upon the altar and all its vessels, and the laver and its base, to sanctify them (Leviticus 8:10-12; Numbers 7:1).

[5] The reason why the altar, and the Habitation with all things therein, were anointed, was that they might represent the Divine and holy things of heaven and of the church, consequently the holy things of worship; and they could not represent these things unless they had been inaugurated by means of something that represented the good of love; for the Divine enters through the good of love, and through this good is present in heaven and in the church, consequently also in worship. Without this good the Divine does not enter, and is not present, but what is man’s own, and with this, hell; and when hell is present, evil and falsity are present; for man’s own is nothing else. From this it is evident why the anointing was done with oil; for in the representative sense “oil” denotes the good of love (see n. 886, 4582, 4638, 9780); and the altar was the chief representative of the Lord, and from this of worship from the good of love (n. 2777, 2811, 4489, 4541, 8935, 8940, 9388, 9389, 9714); and the Habitation together with the ark was the chief representative of heaven where the Lord is (n. 9457, 9481, 9485, 9594, 9596, 9632, 9784). (That what is man’s own is nothing but evil and falsity, thus hell, see n. 210, 215, 694, 874-876, 987, 1047, 3812, 5660, 8480, 8941, 8944; also that insofar as what is man’s own is removed, so far the Lord can be present, n. 1023, 1044, 4007)

[6] Fourthly: That they anointed those who administered the priesthood, and their garments, is evident in Moses:

Take thou the anointing oil, and pour it upon the head of Aaron, and anoint him (Exodus 29:7; 30:30).

Thou shalt put on Aaron the holy garments; and thou shalt anoint him, and sanctify him, that he may minister to Me in the priest’s office; and thou shalt anoint his sons, as thou didst anoint their father; and it shall be that their anointing shall be to them for the priesthood of an age in their generations (Exodus 40:13-15).

Moses poured of the oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. Then he took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, upon his garments, upon his sons, and upon his sons’ garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him (Leviticus 8:12, 30).

[7] The reason why Aaron was anointed, and why his sons were anointed, and even their garments, was that they might represent the Lord as to Divine good, and as to the Divine truth thence derived; Aaron, the Lord as to Divine good; and his sons, the Lord as to the Divine truth thence derived; and in general, that the priesthood might represent the Lord as to the whole work of salvation. The reason why they were anointed in his garments (Exodus 29:29) was that Aaron’s garments represented the Lord’s spiritual kingdom joined to His celestial kingdom. The celestial kingdom is where the good of love to the Lord from the Lord reigns; so that the influx of the Divine into the spiritual kingdom is effected through the good of love. On this account the inauguration into representation was effected with oil, which in the spiritual sense denotes the good of love. (That Aaron represented the Lord as to Divine good may be seen above, n. 9806; and that his sons represented the Lord as to Divine truth proceeding from Divine good, n. 9807; also that the priesthood in general represented the Lord as to the whole work of salvation, n. 9809; that Aaron’s garments represented the Lord’s spiritual kingdom joined to His celestial kingdom, n. 9814; that his sons’ garments represented the things which proceed therefrom, n. 9946, 9950; and that in the celestial kingdom the good of love to the Lord reigns, see the places cited in n. 9277.)

[8] As the inauguration into representation was effected by anointing, and as by Aaron and his sons were represented the Lord and that which is from Him, therefore to Aaron and his sons were given the holy things of the sons of Israel that were given to Jehovah as gifts, and were called “heave-offerings;” and it is said that they are an anointing, and likewise stand for an anointing; that is, that they are a representation, or stand for a representation, of the Lord; and that they are from Him; as is evident from these words in Moses:

The wave-breast and the heave-shoulder have I taken from among the sons of Israel from the sacrifices of the peace-offerings, and have given them unto Aaron and unto his sons. This is the anointing of Aaron, and the anointing of his sons, from the offerings of Jehovah made by fire, which I have commanded to be given unto them in the day that he anointed them from among the sons of Israel (Leviticus 7:34-36).

Jehovah spoke unto Aaron, Behold I have given thee the charge of My heave-offerings, in respect to all the holy things of the sons of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, in a statute of eternity. Every offering of theirs, in respect to all their meat-offering, in respect to all sacrifice for sin and for guilt, all the wave offering of the sons of Israel, all the fat of the pure oil, and all the fat of the new wine, and of the grain, the firstfruits of them which they shall give unto Jehovah; to thee have I given them; also everything devoted in Israel; everything that openeth the womb; thus all the heave-offering of the holy things. Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any portion in the midst of them. I am thy portion and thine inheritance in the midst of the sons of Israel (Numbers 18:8-20).

From these words it is evident that “anointing” denotes representation, because they were inaugurated into representation by means of anointing; and that by it was signified that all inauguration into the holiness of heaven and of the church is through the good of love which is from the Lord, and that the good of love is the Lord with them. Because it is so, it is said that “Jehovah is his portion and inheritance.”

[9] Fifthly: That they anointed the prophets also, is evident from the first book of Kings:

Jehovah said unto Elijah, Anoint Hazael to be king over the Syrians; and anoint Jehu to be king over Israel; and anoint Elisha to be prophet in thy room (1 Kings 19:15-16).

The Spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon Me; therefore Jehovah hath anointed Me to preach good tiding unto the poor; He hath sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to preach liberty to the captives (Isaiah 61:1).

The reason why the prophets were anointed was that they represented the Lord in respect to the doctrine of Divine truth, consequently in respect to the Word, for this is the doctrine of Divine truth. That the prophets represented the Word, see n. 3652, 7269, specifically Elijah and Elisha, n. 2762, 5247, 9372. And that it is the Lord as to the Divine Human who is represented, and who is therefore meant by “him whom Jehovah hath anointed,” the Lord Himself teaches in Luke 4:18-21.

[10] Sixthly: That afterward they anointed the kings, who were then called “the anointed of Jehovah,” is evident from many passages in the Word (as 1 Samuel 10:1, 15:1, 17; 16:3, 6, 12; 24:6; 26:9, 11, 16; 2 Samuel 1:16; 2:4, 7; 5:3; 19:21; 1 Kings 1:34-35; 19:15-16; 2 Kings 9:3; 11:12; 23:30 Lam. 4:20; Hab. 3:13; Psalms 2:2, 6 (Psalms 2:6); 20:6; 28:8; 45:7; 84:9; 89:20, 38, 51; 32:17 elsewhere). The reason why they anointed the kings was that these might represent the Lord in respect to judgment from Divine truth; therefore in the Word by “kings” are signified truths Divine (see n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148).

[11] The reason why the kings were called “the anointed of Jehovah,” and why it was therefore sacrilegious to injure them, was that by “the anointed of Jehovah” is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human; although according to the sense of the letter the term is applied to a king who was anointed with oil. For when the Lord was in the world, He was, in respect to the Human, the Divine truth itself; and in respect to the very being of His life, He was the Divine good itself, which with man is called the soul from the father; for He was conceived from Jehovah, and in the Word “Jehovah” denotes the Divine good of the Divine love, which is the being of the life of all. From this it is that the Lord alone was “the Anointed of Jehovah” in very essence and in very performance, because the Divine good was in Him; and the Divine truth proceeding from this good was in His Human while He was in the world (see the places cited in n. 9194, 9315). The kings of the earth, however, were not “the Anointed of Jehovah,” but they represented the Lord, who alone is “the Anointed of Jehovah;” and therefore on account of this anointing it was sacrilegious to injure the kings of the earth. But the anointing of the kings of the earth was done with oil, while the anointing of the Lord as to the Divine Human was done with the Divine good itself of the Divine love, which the oil represented. From this it is that He was called “the Messiah,” and “the Christ,” “Messiah” in the Hebrew tongue meaning “the Anointed,” in like manner as “Christ” in the Greek tongue (John 1:41; 4:25).

[12] From all this it can be seen that where mention is made in the Word of “the anointed of Jehovah,” the Lord is meant, as in Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon Me; therefore Jehovah hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the poor; He hath sent Me to bind up the broken hearted, to preach liberty to the captives (Isaiah 61:1).

That the Lord as to the Divine Human is the one whom Jehovah anointed is evident in Luke, where the Lord openly says so in these passages:

There was delivered to Jesus the book of the prophet Isaiah. And He unrolled the book, and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; wherefore He hath anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken hearted, to preach release to the bound, and sight to the blind, to send away the wounded with deliverance, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Afterward, rolling up the book, He gave it to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say unto them, This day hath this Scripture been fulfilled in your ears (Luke 4:17-21).

[13] Know therefore and perceive, that from the going forth of the Word even to restore and to build Jerusalem, even unto the Messiah the prince, shall be seven weeks (Daniel 9:25).

“To build Jerusalem” denotes to set up the church, for “Jerusalem” denotes the church (n. 3654); “Messiah the prince,” or “the Anointed” denotes the Lord as to the Divine Human. Again:

Seventy weeks have been decreed, to seal up the vision and the prophet, and to anoint the Holy of holies (Daniel 9:24).

“Sealing up the vision and the prophet” denotes to close up the things that have been said in the Word about the Lord, and to fulfill them; “to anoint the Holy of holies” denotes the Divine Human of the Lord, in which was the Divine good of the Divine love, that is, Jehovah.

[14] By “the Anointed of Jehovah” is also meant the Lord in the following passage, in David:

The kings of the earth have set themselves, and the rulers have consulted together, against Jehovah, and against His Anointed. I have anointed My king upon Zion, the mountain of My holiness (Psalms 2:2, 6).

“The kings of the earth” denote falsities, and “the rulers,” evils, which are from the hells, and against which the Lord fought when He was in the world, and which He conquered and subdued; “the Anointed of Jehovah” denotes the Lord as to the Divine Human, for from this He fought; “Zion the mountain of holiness,” upon which He is said “to be Anointed as the King” denotes the celestial kingdom, which is in the good of love. This kingdom is the inmost of heaven, and the inmost of the church.

[15] Again:

I have found David My servant, with the oil of holiness I have anointed him (Psalms 89:20); where by “David” is meant the Lord (as also in other passages, see n. 1888); “the oil of holiness with which Jehovah anointed him,” denotes the Divine good of the Divine love (see n. 886, 4582, 4638). That it is the Lord who is here meant by “David,” is plain from what precedes and from what follows in this Psalm, for it is said:

Thou spoke in vision concerning Thy Holy One, I will set His hand in the sea, and His right hand in the rivers. He shall call Me, My Father; I also will make Him the firstborn, high above the kings of the earth. I will set His seed to eternity, and His throne as the days of the heavens (Psalms 89:19, 25-27, 29);

besides many other passages.

[16] In like manner in the same:

In Zion will I make a horn to bud unto David; I will set in order a lamp for Mine anointed. His enemies will I clothe with shame; and upon Himself shall His crown flourish (Psalms 132:17-18).

That here also the Lord is meant by “David,” is plain from what precedes, where it is said:

Lo, we heard of Him in Ephrathah, we found Him in the fields of the forest. We will go into His habitations, we will bow at His footstool. Thy priests shall be clothed with righteousness, and Thy saints shall shout for joy. For Thy servant David’s sake turn not away the faces of Thine anointed (Psalms 89:6, 7, 9, 10).

From these passages it can be seen that the Lord as to His Divine Human is here meant by “David, the anointed of Jehovah.”

[17] In Jeremiah:

They chased us upon the mountains; they laid wait for us in the wilderness. The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits, of whom we had said, In His shadow we shall live among the nations (Lam. 4:19-20); where also by “the anointed of Jehovah” is meant the Lord, for the subject here treated of is the assault on Divine truth by falsities and evils, which is signified by “being chased upon the mountains,” and by “being laid wait for in the wilderness;” “the breath of the nostrils” denotes the heavenly life itself which is from the the Lord, (n. 9818).

[18] From all this it can now be known why it was so sacrilegious to injure the anointed of Jehovah, as also is plain from the Word; as in the first book of Samuel:

David said, Jehovah forbid that I should do this word unto my lord, the anointed of Jehovah, to put forth my hand against him, seeing that the anointed of Jehovah is he (1 Samuel 24:6, 10).

David said unto Abishai, Destroy him not; for who shall put forth his hand against the anointed of Jehovah and be innocent? (1 Samuel 26:9).

David said unto him who said that he had slain Saul, Thy blood be upon thy head; because thou hast said, I have slain the anointed of Jehovah (2 Samuel 1:16).

Abishai said, Shall not Shimei be slain for this, because he cursed the anointed of Jehovah? (2 Samuel 19:21).

That Shimei was slain for this by order of Solomon, may be seen in 1 Kings 2:36 to the end.

[19] Seventhly: That it had become customary to anoint themselves and others in order to testify gladness of mind and good will, is evident from the following passages, in Daniel:

I, Daniel, was mourning three weeks. I ate no bread of desires, and flesh and wine came not to my mouth, and anointing I was not anointed, even until three weeks of days were fulfilled (Daniel 10:2-3).

Thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father in secret (Matthew 6:17-18).

“To fast” denotes to be in mourning. In Amos:

They who drink out of goblets of wine, and anoint themselves from the firstfruits of the oils; but they are not grieved over the breach of Joseph (Amos 6:6).

I washed thee with waters; yea, I washed away thy blood, and I anointed thee with oil (Ezekiel 16:9);

speaking of Jerusalem, by which is signified the church.

In Micah:

Thou shalt tread the olive, but shalt not anoint thee with oil (Micah 6:15).

Thou shalt have olive trees in all thy border, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall be shaken off (Deuteronomy 28:40).

To give unto them a miter for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning (Isaiah 61:3).

Thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness beyond thy fellows (Psalms 45:7).

Thou settest in order a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou makest fat my head with oil (Psalms 23:5).

My horn shalt Thou exalt like the horn of the unicorn; I shall grow old with fresh oil (Psalms 92:10).

Wine maketh glad the heart of man, to cheer his faces with oil (Psalms 104:15).

The disciples going out anointed with oil many that were infirm, and healed them (Mark 6:12-13).

Jesus said unto Simon, I entered into thine house, and My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but this woman hath anointed My feet with ointment (Luke 7:44, 46).

[20] From all this it is evident that it was customary to anoint themselves and others with oil; not with the oil of holiness with which the priests, the kings, the altar, and the tabernacle were anointed; but with common oil; for the reason that this oil signified the gladness and satisfaction that belong to the love of good; whereas the oil of holiness signified the Divine good, of which it is said:

Upon the flesh of man shall it not be poured, and in the quality thereof ye shall not make any like it. It shall be holy to you. Whosoever shall prepare any like it, or whosoever shall put any of it upon a stranger, he shall be cut off from his peoples (Exodus 30:32-33, 38).

  
/ 10837  
  

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3704

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

3704. And the God of Isaac. That this signifies the Lord as to the Divine Human, is evident from the representation of Isaac, as being the Lord’s Divine rational; and as the rational is that in which the human begins (see n. 2194), and thus from which and by which the human is; therefore here by the “God of Isaac” is signified the Divine Human of the Lord. As in heaven, and with man, and even in universal nature, all things both in general and in particular have relation to good and truth, therefore also the Lord’s Divine is distinguished into Divine good and Divine truth, and the Lord’s Divine good is called “father,” and his Divine truth “son”; but the Lord’s Divine is nothing else than good; yea, good itself; and Divine truth is the Lord’s Divine good so appearing in heaven; that is, before the angels. The case herein is the same as with the sun; in its essence the sun itself is nothing but fire, and the light which is thence seen is not in the sun, but from the sun. (That the Lord as to Divine good is represented by the sun, and also that in the other life He is a sun to the universal heaven, may be seen above, n. 1053, 1521, 1529-1531, 2495, 3636, 3643; and that the Lord as to Divine truth is represented by light, and also is light in the other life to the universal heaven, see n. 1053, 1521, 1529-1530, 2776, 3138, 3195, 3222-3223, 3339, 3341, 3636, 3643)

[2] Thus the Lord in His essence is nothing else than Divine good, and this as to both the Divine Itself and the Divine Human; but Divine truth is not in Divine good, but from Divine good, for as before said so does Divine good appear in heaven. And as Divine good comes to appearance as Divine truth, therefore for the sake of man’s apprehension the Lord’s Divine is distinguished into Divine good and Divine truth, and Divine good is that which in the Word is called “Father,” and Divine truth is that which is called “Son.” This is the arcanum which lies concealed in the fact that the Lord Himself so often speaks of His Father as distinct, and as if another than Himself; and yet in other places asserts that He is one with Himself. (That in the internal sense “Father” signifies good; and in the supreme sense, the Lord as to Divine good, has been shown above, n. 3703; and also that “Son” signifies truth, and the “Son of God,” and the “Son of man,” the Lord as to Divine truth, n. 1729, 1730, 2159, 2803, 2813.) And the same is evident from all those passages where the Lord makes mention of His “Father,” and calls Himself the “Son.”

[3] That it is the Lord who in the Word of the Old Testament is called “Jehovah,” may be seen above (n. 1343, 1736, 2921); and that He is there also called “Father” is evident from the following passages.

In Isaiah:

Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6); where it is very evident that the “Child born” and the “Son given unto us” is the Lord; thus it is the Lord who is called the “Father of Eternity.”

In Jeremiah:

I will be a Father to Israel, and Ephraim shall be My firstborn (Jeremiah 31:9);

speaking of the Lord, who is “the God of Israel” and “the Holy One of Israel,” as may be seen above (n. 3305); and here a “Father to Israel.”

In Malachi:

Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us? (Malachi 2:10); where in the internal sense “to create” signifies to regenerate; as also in other passages of the Word (see n. 16, 88, 472); and as the Lord is the only Regenerator and Redeemer, it is He who is here called “Father” and “God.” As also in Isaiah:

Thou art our Father, for Abraham knoweth us not, and Israel doth not acknowledge us; thou Jehovah art our Father, our Redeemer, Thy name is from everlasting (Isaiah 63:16).

[4] Again:

I will clothe Him with thy tunic, and strengthen Him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into His hand; that He may be a Father to the inhabitant of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah; and the key of the house of David will I lay upon His shoulder; and He shall open and none shall shut, and He shall shut and none shall open; and I will fasten Him as a nail in a sure place, and He may be for a throne of glory of His Father; and they shall hang upon Him all the glory of His Father’s house, of sons and grandsons, every small vessel, from the vessels of cups even to all the vessels of psalteries (Isaiah 22:21-24).

That it is the Lord who in the internal sense is here represented and signified, and is called a “Father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah,” is very evident; for it is He upon whose shoulder is the key of the house of David, who openeth and none shutteth, and who shutteth and none openeth (see preface to chapter 22); and He has the throne of His Father’s glory, and upon Him and from Him are all holy things, which are here called “vessels”; celestial things, “vessels of cups”; and holy spiritual things, “vessels of psalteries.”

[5] As kings and priests represented the Lord; kings, by their royalty, the Lord as to Divine truth; and priests the Lord as to Divine good (n. 3670), therefore priests were called “fathers,” as may be seen in the book of Judges:

Micah said to the Levite, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest (Judg. 17:10).

In like manner said to him the sons of Dan:

Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest (Judg. 18:19).

That kings themselves also so called them is evident in the second book of Kings:

The king of Israel said unto Elisha, My father, shall I smite them? And he answered, Thou shalt not smite (2 Kings 6:21-22);

and Joash the king so addressed Elisha when Elisha died:

He wept over his face, and said, my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof (2 Kings 13:14).

The reason why kings so called them was that the kings represented the Lord as to Divine truth; and the priests represented Him as to Divine good; and also because truth in respect to good is as a son to a father, for truth is from good.

[6] This is well known in the other life, and therefore in heaven they call no other Father than the Lord, and perceive no other as meant by “Father” in the Word of the Evangelists (see n. 15, 1729). When being initiated into the good of love and its truth, all little children are there taught to acknowledge the Lord alone as their Father; nay, even novitiates who come into heaven are taught with solicitous care that there is one God; and they who have been born within the church are taught that the whole Trinity is in the Lord; for almost all who come from the Christian world bring with them an idea of three gods, although with their lips they had said that there is but one God; for to think of one, when the idea of three has before entered, and when each of these is called God, and also is distinguished from the others as to attributes and offices, and likewise is separately worshiped, is humanly impossible; consequently the worship of three gods is in the heart, while the worship of one only is in the mouth.

[7] That the whole Trinity is in the Lord is known in the Christian world, and yet among these in the other life the Lord is little thought of; nay, His Human is a stumbling-block to many, because they distinguish the Human from the Divine, neither do they believe it to be Divine; and a man will call himself justified, and thus made pure and almost holy; but these people do not think that the Lord was glorified, that is, that His Human was made Divine; when yet He was conceived from Jehovah Himself; and moreover no one can be justified, much less sanctified, except from the Divine, and indeed from the Lord’s Divine Human, which is represented and signified in the Holy Supper, where it is expressly said that the bread is His body and the wine His blood. That the Lord is one with the Father, and that He is from eternity, and that He rules the universe, consequently that He is Divine good and Divine truth itself, is very evident from the Word.

[8] That HE IS ONE WITH THE FATHER, is evident from these words in John:

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18).

The Jews sought the more to kill Jesus because He had also said that God was His own Father, making Himself equal with God. Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do; for what things soever He doeth, these doeth the Son likewise. As the Father raiseth the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son also quickeneth whom He will. Neither doth the Father judge any man, but He hath given all judgment unto the Son; that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. For as the Father hath life in Himself, even so hath He given to the Son also to have life in Himself. The Father who hath sent Me hath Himself borne witness of Me; ye have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His shape. Search the Scriptures, for these are they which bear witness of Me (John 5:18, etc.).

By “Father” is here meant, as was said, Divine good; and by “Son,” Divine truth, both in the Lord. From Divine good which is the “Father,” nothing can proceed or go forth but what is Divine, and that which proceeds or goes forth is Divine truth, which is the “Son.”

[9] Again:

Everyone that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto Me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save He that is with the Father, He hath seen the Father (John 6:45-46).

They said therefore unto Him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know Me nor My Father; if ye knew Me ye would know My Father also (John 8:19).

I and the Father are one: though ye believe not Me, believe the works; that ye may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father (John 10:30, 38).

Jesus said, He that believeth in Me, believeth not in Me, but in Him that sent Me; and he that seeth Me, seeth Him that sent Me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in Me may not abide in darkness (John 12:44-46).

By “the Father sending Him” is signified, in the internal sense, that He proceeds from the Father; and the same is signified in other passages where the Lord says that the Father “sent” Him. That the “light” is Divine truth may be seen above.

[10] Again:

I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one cometh unto the Father but by Me. If ye had known Me ye would have known My Father also; and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him. Philip saith unto Him, Lord, show us the Father. Jesus saith unto him, Am I so long time with you, and hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that seeth Me, seeth the Father; how then sayest thou, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak unto you, I speak not from Myself; but the Father that abideth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me. And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son (John 14:6-13).

He that hath My commandments, and doeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself unto him. If a man love Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him and make Our abode with him (John 14:21, 23).

[11] They who are in Divine truth are they who “have His commandments and do them”; and they who are in Divine good are they who “love Him;” of whom it is therefore said that He “shall be loved of the Father,” and “We will come unto him and make Our abode with him”; that is, Divine good and Divine truth will do so; and therefore it is said in the same Evangelist:

In that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me (John 14:20).

Holy Father, keep them in Thy name; that they may be one, even as We are (John 17:11).

From these passages it is evident that the Lord speaks of the “Father” from the Divine good that He Himself had, and of the “Son” from the Divine truth which is from the Divine good; thus that the “Father” and “Son” are not two, but one. The reason why the Lord so spoke, was that the Word might be received as well on earth as in heaven; and also because, before the Lord was glorified, He was the Divine truth that is from Divine good; but when He had been glorified, He was Divine good itself as to each essence, and from Him is all Divine good and Divine truth.

[12] THAT THE LORD WAS FROM ETERNITY may be seen from the fact that it is the Lord who spoke by the Prophets; and that for this reason, and also because from Him was Divine truth, He was called the “Word”; concerning which in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.

In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we held His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father (John 1:1-4, 14).

The “Word” denotes all truth in the heavens and on earth that is from the Divine.

[13] That the Lord was from eternity He plainly teaches elsewhere in John:

John said, This was He of whom I said, He that cometh after me was before me, for He was prior to me. In the midst of you there standeth One whom ye know not; He it is who is to come after me, who was before me (John 1:15, 26-27, 30).

If ye should see the Son of man ascending where He was before (John 6:62).

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am (John 8:58).

Jesus knowing that He came forth from God, and went to God (John 13:3).

The Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from the Father. I came out from the Father, and came into the world; again I leave the world, and go unto the Father (John 16:27-28).

I have glorified Thee on the earth, I have accomplished the work which Thou gavest Me to do. And now O Father glorify Me with Thine own self, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was; that they may behold My glory which Thou hast given Me, for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world (John 17:4-5, 24).

In Isaiah:

Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

[14] THAT THE LORD RULES THE UNIVERSE is evident in Matthew:

All things have been delivered unto Me of My Father (Matthew 11:27).

Jesus said to His disciples, All power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).

In John:

The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hand; he that believeth in the Son hath eternal life (John 3:35-36).

The Father judgeth no man, but hath given all judgment unto the Son (John 5:22).

Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hand (John 13:3).

All things whatsoever that the Father hath are Mine (John 16:15).

Jesus said, Glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee; even as Thou hast given Him authority over all flesh (John 17:1-2).

All things that are Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them. And I am no more in the world, for I come to Thee (John 17:10-11).

In Luke:

All things have been delivered unto Me of My Father (Luke 10:22).

[15] From the above passages it is therefore evident that Divine good is that which is called the “Father”; and Divine truth that which is called the “Son”; and that the Lord from Divine good by Divine truth rules all things in the universe, in both general and particular. This being so, and it being so evident from the Word, it is astonishing that in the Christian world, men do not, as in heaven, acknowledge and adore the Lord alone, and thus the one God; for they know and teach that the whole Trinity is in the Lord. That the Holy Spirit, who also is worshiped as a God distinct from the Son and the Father, is the Holy of the spirit, or the Holy which through spirits or angels proceeds from the Lord, that is, from His Divine good through His Divine truth, will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be shown elsewhere.

  
/ 10837  
  

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