Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 3:13-15
[2] The Divine which was of the Ancient Church was the Lord as to the Divine Human; the Ancient Church had this from the Most Ancient, and also from the fact that Jehovah was seen by them in a human form. When therefore they thought of Jehovah, they did not think of a Universal Entity, of which they could have had no idea, but of the human Divine, into which they could determine their thought; for in this way they could both think of Jehovah and be conjoined with Him by love. Those who were of the Ancient Church, and especially those of the Most Ancient, were much wiser than the men of our times, and yet they could not think otherwise of Jehovah than as of a Man, whose Human was Divine; nor did there then flow into their thought any unbecoming idea taken from the natural man, and his infirmity and evil, but that which flowed in concerning Him was all holy. The angels themselves, who so far excel men in wisdom, cannot think otherwise of the Divine, for they see the Lord in the Divine Human; they know that an angel, with whom all things are finite, can have no idea whatever of the Infinite, except by what is like the finite.
[3] That in ancient times they adored Jehovah under a human Divine, is very evident from the angels seen by Abraham in human form, also afterward by Lot, and likewise by Joshua, by Gideon, and by Manoah, which angels were called "Jehovah," and were adored as the God of the universe. At this day if Jehovah were to appear in the church as a man, men would take offence, and would think that He could not possibly be the Creator and Lord of the universe, because He was seen as a man; and moreover they would not have any other idea of Him than as of a common man. In this they believe themselves wiser than the ancients, not knowing that in this they are altogether removed from wisdom; for when the idea of the thought is directed to a Universal Entity altogether incomprehensible, the idea falls into nothing, and is totally dissipated; and then in its place comes the idea of nature, to which each and all things are attributed. Hence the worship of nature is at this day so common, especially in the Christian world.
. And they say to me, What is His name? That this signifies His quality, is evident from the signification of "name," as being quality (n. 1754, 1896, 2009, 2628, 2724, 3006, 6674). From this question of Moses appears the quality of the posterity of Jacob, namely, that they had not only forgotten the name "Jehovah," but also that they acknowledged a number of gods, one of which was greater than another; hence it was that they would desire to know His name; they believed also that it was sufficient to acknowledge God as to name. That the posterity of Jacob were such was because they were only in externals without internals; and they who are without internals cannot think otherwise about God, because they cannot receive anything of light from heaven to enlighten their interiors. In order therefore that they might acknowledge Jehovah, it was said to them that the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, had been seen, and that He sent; thus they were induced to acknowledge Jehovah from a blind veneration for their fathers, but not from any internal perception. It was also sufficient for that people to worship Jehovah merely as to name, because they could not receive anything but the external of a church, thus that which only represented its internal; the external was instituted among them also in order that what was represented thereby might be presented in heaven in the internal form, and thus that there might still be some conjunction of heaven with man. . What shall I say unto them? That this signifies what answer, is evident without explication. . And God said unto Moses. That this signifies the first instruction, is evident from the signification of "God said" (here to Moses, by whom is represented the Lord as to the Divine truth, and from Moses to the people, thus from the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord’s Divine Human, to those of the spiritual church), as being instruction, here the first instruction, because it is in regard to God Himself who is to be worshiped. For the first of the church is the knowledge that there is a God, and that He is to be worshiped. His first quality to be known is that He created the universe, and that the created universe subsists from Him. . I AM WHO I AM That this signifies the Being and Coming-forth of all things in the universe, is evident from the fact that "I AM" is Being, and because He alone is Being, it is said in the nominative case. That it is twice said "I AM," that is, "I AM WHO I AM," is because the one signifies Being and the other Coming-forth; thus the one signifies the Divine Itself, which is called the "Father," and the other the Divine Human, which is called the "Son;" for the Divine Human comes-forth from the Divine Itself. But when the Lord as to the Human also was made the Divine Being (Esse) or Jehovah, then the Divine truth, which proceeds from the Lord‘s Divine Human, is the Divine Coming-forth from the Divine Being. From this it can be seen that the Divine Being cannot communicate Itself to anyone except through the Divine Coming-forth; that is, the Divine Itself cannot communicate Itself except through the Divine Human, and the Divine Human can not communicate itself except through the Divine truth, which is the Holy of the Spirit: this is meant by its being said that all things were made by the Word (John 1:3). It appears to man as if the Divine truth were not such that anything can come forth by means of it; for it is believed that it is like a voice, which being uttered with the lips, is dissipated But it is altogether otherwise: the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is the veriest reality, and such a reality that all things have come forth from it, and all things subsist from it; for whatever proceeds from the Lord is the veriest reality in the universe; and such is the Divine truth, which is called the "Word," through which all things were made. . And He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel. That this signifies the second instruction, is evident from the signification of "God said," when said a second time, as being something new of perception (n. 2061, 2238, 2260); here the something new of perception is the second instruction; and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those of the spiritual church, for whom that instruction was. . I AM hath sent me unto you. That this signifies that the Divine Coming-forth shall be in that church, is evident from the signification of "I AM," as being the Divine Itself and the Divine Human (n. 6880); and from the representation of Moses, as being the Lord as to the Divine law, that is, as to the Divine truth (that the Divine truth is the Coming-forth from the Divine Human, because it is what proceeds from Him, (n. 6880); and from the signification of "being sent to them," as being that it will be in the spiritual church (n. 6876). This is the second instruction The first was that God, from whom all things are, must be acknowledged; the second is, that the Divine truth, which is from Him, must be received. . And God said further unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel. That this signifies the third instruction is evident from what has been unfolded just above (n. 6881). . Jehovah, the God of your fathers. That this signifies the Divine of the Ancient Church, is evident from what was said above (n. 6876), where are like words. In the external historic sense, by "the God of their fathers" is meant the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; but in the internal sense is meant the Divine of the Ancient Church. That the latter, and not the former, is meant in the internal sense, can be seen from the fact that the historicals of the Word cannot enter into heaven; for the historical of the Word is natural and worldly, and those who are in heaven are in no ideas but what are spiritual, so that they understand the Word spiritually; and what is worldly, which is of the sense of the letter of the Word, is at the very threshold of heaven turned into the spiritual sense. That this is so, can in some measure be seen from the fact that man also frequently turns those things which are said into such as engage his whole thought; thus he who is in unclean things, into what is unclean; and he who is in clean things, into what is clean. Hence then it is that they who are in heaven, by "the God of your fathers" do not perceive the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob (for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are not known in heaven), but the Lord who is represented by them; and therefore it is the Divine of the Ancient Church which is signified by these words. . The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. That this signifies the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, thus the Lord, is evident from what was shown above (n. 6847), where are the same words. . Hath sent me unto you. That this signifies that He will be in their church, is evident from the signification of "being sent to you," as being that He will be in the spiritual church (n. 6876, 6882). . This is My name forever. That this signifies that the Divine Human is the quality of the Divine Itself, is evident from the signification of the name "God," as being all in one complex whereby God is worshiped, thus His quality (n. 2724, 3006, 6674); and as the Divine Itself cannot be worshiped, because it cannot be approached either by faith or by love, being above every idea, according to the Lord’s words in John:--"No man hath seen God at any time the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath set Him forth," (John 1:18),
and again,
"Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His shape" (John 5:37),
therefore it is the Divine Human, because the quality of the Divine Itself, which can be approached and worshiped.
[2] That the Divine Human is the "name of Jehovah," is plain in John:--
Jesus said, Father, glorify Thy came; then came there a voice from heaven, I have both glorified, and will glorify again (John 12:28);
here the Lord as to the Divine Human calls Himself the "name of the Father." In Isaiah:--
I Jehovah have called Thee in righteousness, and I will take hold of Thy hand, because I will keep Thee, and give Thee for a covenant to the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the bound from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am Jehovah; this is my Name; and My glory will I not give to another (Isa. 42:6-8);
here and in the preceding verses of the chapter, the Lord is openly treated of: that He it is who is meant by the "name of Jehovah," is plain from the fact that it is said, "My glory will I not give to another;" which words when spoken of the Lord, mean giving glory to Himself, because they are one.
[3] And in Moses:--
Behold I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Take heed of His faces and hear His voice, for He will not endure your transgression; for my name is in the midst of Him (Exod. 23:20, 21);
that by the "angel of Jehovah" is here meant the Lord as to the Divine Human, see (n. 6831); and as the Divine Human is the quality of the Divine Itself, therefore it is said that "the name of Jehovah is in the midst of Him." In the Lord‘s Prayer also, by Our Father in the heavens; hallowed be Thy Name, is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human; and also all in one complex whereby He is to be worshiped.
. And this is My memorial unto generation and generation. That this signifies that it must be worshiped perpetually, is evident from the signification of "memorial," as being what must be remembered, and when said of the Divine, it denotes the quality in the worship; and from the signification of "generation and generation," as being perpetually. In the Word, "forever" and also "to generation of generations" is said, and this sometimes in one verse; and for the reason that "forever" is predicated of the Divine good, and "generation of generations," of the Divine truth. So it is with the signification of "memorial" and of name "memorial" being predicated of the quality of the Divine in worship as to truth, but "name" of the quality of the Divine in worship as to both truth and good, and specifically as to good. That "memorial" denotes the quality of the Divine in the worship, is plain in Hosea:--Jehovah, God Zebaoth, Jehovah is His memorial. Therefore turn thou to God; keep piety and judgement (Hosea 12:5, 6);
where the quality of worship as to truth is treated of, and therefore it is said, "Jehovah is His memorial." In David:--
Sing ye to Jehovah, O ye saints of His, and confess ye to the memorial of His holiness (Psalms 30:4; 97:12);
that "holy" is said of truth may be seen above (n. 6788); the derivative worship is signified by "the memorial of His holiness."
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