Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 22:14
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AC 2835. Verse 14. And Abraham called the name of that place, Jehovah-will-see, as it is said to this day, In the mountain Jehovah will see. "And Abraham called the name of that place," signifies the quality of their state from the Lord’s Divine Human; "Jehovah-will-see," signifies the Lord‘s providence; "as it is said to this day," signifies what is perpetual; "in the mountain Jehovah will see," signifies charity, by means of which it was provided by the Lord that they should be saved.

AC 2836. Abraham called the name of that place. That this signifies the quality of their state (namely, of the spiritual) from the Lord’s Divine Human, is evident from the signification of "calling a name," as being to know what the thing is, that is, its quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009); from the signification of " place," as being state (n. 1273-1277, 1376-1381, 2625); and from the representation of Abraham, as being the Lord as to His Divine Human (n. 2833). Hence it is manifest that "Abraham called the name of that place," signifies the quality of the state of the spiritual from the Lord‘s Divine Human. That the spiritual are saved by the Lord’s coming into the world, see (n. 2661, 2716); also that they have illumination from the Lord‘s Divine Human (n. 2716); and that it is provided that those should be saved who are in the faith of charity, that is, in charity, follows in this verse. This is the state which is signified by these words.

AC 2837. Jehovah-will-see. That this signifies the Lord’s providence, is evident from the signification of "seeing," when predicated of Jehovah or the Lord, as being to foresee and provide (n. 2807). That "Jehovah" is the Lord, see (n. 1343, 1736, 2156, 2329). In the literal sense this is the naming of a place, but in the internal sense it is the quality of a state which is described; for times and spaces are merely of nature; and therefore when the sense of the letter of the Word passes from nature into heaven, the natural idea of those things altogether perishes, and becomes the spiritual idea that corresponds to them.

AC 2838. As it is said to this day. That this signifies what is perpetual, is evident from the signification of "today" in the Word explained in what follows. We read in several places in the Word, "Even to this day," or "to to-day;" as in what goes before, "He is the father of Moab even unto this day; and the father of Ammon unto this day" (Gen. 19:37, 38); and later in the same book, "The name of the city is Beer-sheba, even to this day" (Gen. 26:33). Also this, "The sons of Israel eat not the sinew of the part put out of place, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, even to this day" (Gen. 32:32). And also this, "This is the pillar of Rachel‘s grave even unto this day" (Gen. 35:20). "Joseph made it a statute even to this day" (Gen. 47:26). In the historical sense these things regard the time when Moses lived; but in the internal sense by "this day," and by "to-day," there is signified perpetuity and eternity of state. That "day" is state may be seen above (n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893); and thus "to-day" also, which is time present. That which is of time in the world, is eternal in heaven. That this might be signified, "to-day" is added, or "to this day," although it appears to those who are in the historical sense as if it involved nothing further. The like is said elsewhere in the Word (Josh. 4:9; 6:25; 7:26; Judges 1:21, 26).

[2] That "to-day" signifies perpetuity and eternity may be seen in David:--

where "this day" manifestly denotes what is eternal. In the same:--

where also "this day" manifestly denotes what is eternal. In Jeremiah:--

here in the sense of the letter Jeremiah is treated of, but in the internal sense the Lord is meant; "I have set Thee this day, or today, over the nations and over the kingdoms, and I have made Thee this day a defenced city," means that it was from eternity. Of the Lord nothing else than what is eternal can be predicated.

[3] In Moses:--

In the sense of the letter here "this day" is the time present when Moses spoke to the people; but that it nevertheless involves the time to come and what is perpetual, is evident; for to make a covenant with anyone, and with those who were there, and not there, involves perpetuity, and the perpetuity itself is what is meant in the internal sense.

[4] That "daily" and "this day" signify what is perpetual, is also evident from the sacrifice which was made every day. This, on account of the signification of "day," "daily," and "this day," was called the continual or perpetual sacrifice (Num. 28:3, 23; Deut. 8:13; 11:31; 12:11). This is still more plainly evident from the manna which rained from heaven, of which it is thus said in Moses:--Behold I will rain bread from heaven; and the people shall go out and gather a portion day by day; and let no man leave of it till the morning. What they left till the morning bred worms, and putrefied, except what was kept the day before the Sabbath (Exod. 16:4, 19, 20, 23). This was because the manna signified the Lord’s Divine Human (John 6:31, 32, 49, 50, 58). And because it signified the Lord‘s Divine Human, it signified heavenly food, which is nothing else than love and charity together with the goods and truths of faith. This food is given by the Lord in the heavens to the angels every moment, and thus perpetually and to eternity (n. 2493). This also is what is meant in the Lord’s Prayer by "Give us this day our daily bread" (Matt. 6:11; Luke 11:3); that is, every instant to eternity.

AC 2839. In the mountain Jehovah will see. That this signifies charity, by means of which it is provided by the Lord that they should be saved, namely, the spiritual, is evident from the signification of a "mountain," as being love and charity (n. 795, 796, 1430). That "Jehovah will see" denotes the Lord‘s providence or what is provided by the Lord, was said just above (n. 2837). Here charity is spoken of, and not love, on account of the difference between charity and love (n. 2023). That the spiritual are saved by charity, and not by faith separate from charity, is evident from many passages in the Word. With charity and with faith the case is this: charity without faith is not genuine charity, and faith without charity is not faith. That there may be charity, there must be faith; and that there may be faith, there must be charity; but the essential itself is charity; for in no other ground can the seed which is faith be implanted. From the conjunction of the two mutually and reciprocally is the heavenly marriage, that is, the Lord’s kingdom. Unless faith is implanted in charity it is mere memory-knowledge; for it goes no further than the memory; there is no affection of the heart which receives it; but when it is implanted in charity, that is, in the life, it becomes intelligence and wisdom. Charity without faith, such as is with children and with upright Gentiles, is only ground in which faith is implanted-if not in the life of the body, still in the other life (n. 1802, 2280, 2290-2309, 2419, 2589-2604).

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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