Mankind: The Development of God's Presence - The Church - Part 3
By Rev. Paul Booth
By Rev. Paul Booth
This ends the Ancient Church and the loss of man's spiritual knowledge is depicted in the story of the Tower of Babel. One sees the spiritual man now learning the correspondences, not to worship God and love the neighbor, but to gain power for one's self. He even began thinking he had become as god. This is seen in a man's understanding thinking by his natural knowledge that he rules. So, he built a tower, a city 'as it were'. So, his doctrine now came from him self, not the Lord. He ends in confusion and was scattered abroad. You can see arguments and quarrels entering among the spiritual man. You can see his worship turning to the worship of idols, of sacrifices, and libations. His worship became corrupt and was without any internal meaning. In truth, his knowledge of God and Heaven ended.
The Word they had from God was lost. Thus, the knowledge of correspondences was lost. In ancient history we cannot find these things written about man. In fact, what cannot be found or discovered through archeology has been confirmed in the Old Testament. In it the natural historical life of the people that lived then can be substantiated. For instance, the person Abram, who later was called Abraham, was a real person that had descended from the Hebrew tribe, and from the Ancient Church. Though all the names mentioned in Genesis - all the progeny of Adam and Eve to Eber and are not real persons. In fact, the histories of the celestial people were made-up histories. God's Word tells us of Him, of Heaven and, of man's relationship with God and Heaven, however, these early Biblical stories are not true histories, even as parables are not true stories, nonetheless, what is taught from them spiritually is true.
The Ancient Church had a Word that led and taught man about God and His love. And this evidence can be seen in the writings of Moses where he mentions the book "The Wars of Jehovah" and the book of "Prophetic Enumeration's". The Ancient person could not come into charity, except through the truth of faith, and as such, they could discuss as to whether something was true or not. However, they lost the knowledge of the science of correspondences and did not know what things on earth represented or signified in Heaven any longer. So, the internal understanding, which had been open to man, was now closed just as the innermost the celestial of man had been closed.
The end of this Church can be seen in the story of Abraham's descendents fighting over the wells that he had dug. Here is seen an example that the Word has an internal sense, that it teaches the Lord only and Heaven and man's relationship with them. For here, a 'well' represents the Word of the Ancient Church, just as from the New Testament we learn that 'water' signifies the Truth - the Word. Evidence of the spiritual man's 'remains' are seen in Isaac returning again to dig the 'wells of water' that Abraham, his father, dug to try to learn those ancient truths that were known by those in the Ancient Church, but they were lost.
Before we speak of the natural state of mankind and his development, let us summarize what has been said. The celestial state of a man is his infant and childhood state where he is in innocence and depends upon God and where he knows what is good and true immediately. The spiritual state of a man is his youth 'state' where he learns what is good and true or evil and false on his own. He has a choice, but because of the love of self is now prominent with him, his tendency is for himself. In this we see man's hereditary evils. Thus, man comes into the next state - the natural - of his development.
The Natural State
Man fell 'as it were' from his spiritual state, that is, from spiritual thought to natural thought and into the natural degree of life, where the spiritual is unknown. You might wonder why, in man's progression in his spiritual development, that he had to descend into the natural state? We have said that the celestial and the spiritual man had a natural body as you and I. It is in Swedenborg's writings that we often see these states of man written as the celestial man, spiritual man, and natural man. They are really one man and are the states that man must goes through in his development toward his final state where he comes to live conjoined with God and in Heaven. What seems to be happening is that man going away from God, but it is in this descent that we can come to see his true spiritual development; it is man's preparation for God to come and save him from eternal death, that is, from a life of hell. In each state evils are removed, first from his celestial, then from his spiritual and, now, they are to be removed from his life.
God has given mankind freedom in both natural and spiritual things. We see in God's Word that His truths, were rejected, thus, he lost the knowledge of the science of correspondences and fell into worshipping idols and offering sacrifices. This natural state of man can be seen beginning in Abraham, who was a Hebrew and had worshipped idols, but returned to worship one unknown God called 'Jehovah'.
The main difference between the spiritual man and the natural man is that the truths learned by the natural man are no longer genuine. In this state a man simply did not know what things on earth signified, for this was hidden from him. You might wonder how, then, is a man to come to the truth that God wants him to know, so he can live accordingly? First, the natural man in his development to know right from wrong, has gained natural knowledge and intelligence, and so, knows how to live together. He knows there needs to be some order, some moral and civil order in his life. We see that man had reached the state where he no longer could receive spiritual life, except through himself. He was no longer in God's presence, either celestially or spiritually.
We have use the natural histories told in the Word of God, but it is the spiritual historical sense revealed by E. Swedenborg where we see the celestial and spiritual development of man's life. In the natural man, God is present in man's natural understanding, through obedience to natural laws. In history we learn that man innately worships some deity. Thus, God leads the natural man in his spiritual development. And thus, it is that the natural Church man came to worship one God. He realized that in obedience to these laws - the Commandments - that he could prosper.
Now man needed to be persuaded to follow God and that persuasion mainly came through miracles. If he followed the Commandments, he would be rewarded. Thus, we see miraculous things happening in their lives, sparing them, but suffering when he was disobedient and had turned from the law.
In the natural degree of life man cannot see God's presence. He thinks that creation is only natural, worldly, and of material substances. He cannot easily think that creation was also celestial and spiritual. Man does not know or acknowledge that he is made a spiritual being as well as natural being. Therefore, any development of mankind necessarily requires his spiritual development. There is both spiritual and natural thought, that is, natural ideas, all natural thought flows, in from the spiritual world from God into the natural degree of man. Thus, God's love and wisdom continually sustains man, and when that love and wisdom is rejected or misused for one's self, as is the case, it appears 'as if' God is not with man.
This is the state that man had now reached. He could see evidence of a Divine Being only in miracles. The natural man, also, could develop a conscience that could lead him as perception was to the celestial man and an internal dictate was to the spiritual man.
The man of this Church no longer knew what things on earth represented and in time was not a representative Church. Yet, in order to continue his spiritual development, he had to be guided and this was done through a conscience, whereby Holy things - Truths and Goods and his affection for them - could come and establish God's presence. What was the difference between Israel and all the other nations that existed then? Didn't they have laws that they needed to obey in order to prevent chaos and extinction? Didn't they have moral and civil laws? They did, so these were not new laws to the Israelites, but what was new was that they were, now, believed to be God's laws. Thus, they were spiritual and celestial laws as well as natural laws. It was in this way that God could continue man's development, leading him into a truly spiritual life. What we are to understand in this was man's preparation to accept God's presence in flesh, that is, in the human form.
Until God's coming on earth, He was not to be seen as man except in appearances as in the form of an angel or as He appeared to Moses in the burning bush and in other ways. Aren't these seen as God's presence with man? Hadn't God said to Moses that He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Didn't the Israelites come to worship one unknown God and the natural man was prepared for God's presence?
The natural man is captive to falsities and evils. God made a covenant with man where the good of charity and the truth of faith can be known. Man had turned to live in the purely natural state so that he did not notice God's presence. As such, a man's life became a false and evil life. However, in this covenant God was calling man out from his sins. From the natural historical sense He does so in taking man out of Egypt and into the land of Canaan, which He had given to Abraham and his descendents, who, of course, became the natural or Israelitish Church. Now, in that land there were other nations that Israel must come into combat with and to overcome in order to have peace. However, in the internal or spiritual sense this speaks of spiritual battles and freedom from falsities and evils that were within the natural man, within the heart and the mind. Remember the mind was seen as a garden with food to eat and beauty for the eyes. Yet, there is an even more internal reason. It is seen, here, that God is leading man 'as it were' to return to that spiritual state where He is in his will and understanding. To where the genuine truths are known and where God is worshipped in truth.
Now, we know from history that the Israelites never completely conquered the land and so never became a true representative Church as was the spiritual Church. However, truth did lead man, in not only living according to the Commandments, but in worshiping one God.
The Word they had from God was lost. Thus, the knowledge of correspondences was lost. In ancient history we cannot find these things written about man. In fact, what cannot be found or discovered through archeology has been confirmed in the Old Testament. In it the natural historical life of the people that lived then can be substantiated. For instance, the person Abram, who later was called Abraham, was a real person that had descended from the Hebrew tribe, and from the Ancient Church. Though all the names mentioned in Genesis - all the progeny of Adam and Eve to Eber and are not real persons. In fact, the histories of the celestial people were made-up histories. God's Word tells us of Him, of Heaven and, of man's relationship with God and Heaven, however, these early Biblical stories are not true histories, even as parables are not true stories, nonetheless, what is taught from them spiritually is true.
The Ancient Church had a Word that led and taught man about God and His love. And this evidence can be seen in the writings of Moses where he mentions the book "The Wars of Jehovah" and the book of "Prophetic Enumeration's". The Ancient person could not come into charity, except through the truth of faith, and as such, they could discuss as to whether something was true or not. However, they lost the knowledge of the science of correspondences and did not know what things on earth represented or signified in Heaven any longer. So, the internal understanding, which had been open to man, was now closed just as the innermost the celestial of man had been closed.
The end of this Church can be seen in the story of Abraham's descendents fighting over the wells that he had dug. Here is seen an example that the Word has an internal sense, that it teaches the Lord only and Heaven and man's relationship with them. For here, a 'well' represents the Word of the Ancient Church, just as from the New Testament we learn that 'water' signifies the Truth - the Word. Evidence of the spiritual man's 'remains' are seen in Isaac returning again to dig the 'wells of water' that Abraham, his father, dug to try to learn those ancient truths that were known by those in the Ancient Church, but they were lost.
Before we speak of the natural state of mankind and his development, let us summarize what has been said. The celestial state of a man is his infant and childhood state where he is in innocence and depends upon God and where he knows what is good and true immediately. The spiritual state of a man is his youth 'state' where he learns what is good and true or evil and false on his own. He has a choice, but because of the love of self is now prominent with him, his tendency is for himself. In this we see man's hereditary evils. Thus, man comes into the next state - the natural - of his development.
The Natural State
Man fell 'as it were' from his spiritual state, that is, from spiritual thought to natural thought and into the natural degree of life, where the spiritual is unknown. You might wonder why, in man's progression in his spiritual development, that he had to descend into the natural state? We have said that the celestial and the spiritual man had a natural body as you and I. It is in Swedenborg's writings that we often see these states of man written as the celestial man, spiritual man, and natural man. They are really one man and are the states that man must goes through in his development toward his final state where he comes to live conjoined with God and in Heaven. What seems to be happening is that man going away from God, but it is in this descent that we can come to see his true spiritual development; it is man's preparation for God to come and save him from eternal death, that is, from a life of hell. In each state evils are removed, first from his celestial, then from his spiritual and, now, they are to be removed from his life.
God has given mankind freedom in both natural and spiritual things. We see in God's Word that His truths, were rejected, thus, he lost the knowledge of the science of correspondences and fell into worshipping idols and offering sacrifices. This natural state of man can be seen beginning in Abraham, who was a Hebrew and had worshipped idols, but returned to worship one unknown God called 'Jehovah'.
The main difference between the spiritual man and the natural man is that the truths learned by the natural man are no longer genuine. In this state a man simply did not know what things on earth signified, for this was hidden from him. You might wonder how, then, is a man to come to the truth that God wants him to know, so he can live accordingly? First, the natural man in his development to know right from wrong, has gained natural knowledge and intelligence, and so, knows how to live together. He knows there needs to be some order, some moral and civil order in his life. We see that man had reached the state where he no longer could receive spiritual life, except through himself. He was no longer in God's presence, either celestially or spiritually.
We have use the natural histories told in the Word of God, but it is the spiritual historical sense revealed by E. Swedenborg where we see the celestial and spiritual development of man's life. In the natural man, God is present in man's natural understanding, through obedience to natural laws. In history we learn that man innately worships some deity. Thus, God leads the natural man in his spiritual development. And thus, it is that the natural Church man came to worship one God. He realized that in obedience to these laws - the Commandments - that he could prosper.
Now man needed to be persuaded to follow God and that persuasion mainly came through miracles. If he followed the Commandments, he would be rewarded. Thus, we see miraculous things happening in their lives, sparing them, but suffering when he was disobedient and had turned from the law.
In the natural degree of life man cannot see God's presence. He thinks that creation is only natural, worldly, and of material substances. He cannot easily think that creation was also celestial and spiritual. Man does not know or acknowledge that he is made a spiritual being as well as natural being. Therefore, any development of mankind necessarily requires his spiritual development. There is both spiritual and natural thought, that is, natural ideas, all natural thought flows, in from the spiritual world from God into the natural degree of man. Thus, God's love and wisdom continually sustains man, and when that love and wisdom is rejected or misused for one's self, as is the case, it appears 'as if' God is not with man.
This is the state that man had now reached. He could see evidence of a Divine Being only in miracles. The natural man, also, could develop a conscience that could lead him as perception was to the celestial man and an internal dictate was to the spiritual man.
The man of this Church no longer knew what things on earth represented and in time was not a representative Church. Yet, in order to continue his spiritual development, he had to be guided and this was done through a conscience, whereby Holy things - Truths and Goods and his affection for them - could come and establish God's presence. What was the difference between Israel and all the other nations that existed then? Didn't they have laws that they needed to obey in order to prevent chaos and extinction? Didn't they have moral and civil laws? They did, so these were not new laws to the Israelites, but what was new was that they were, now, believed to be God's laws. Thus, they were spiritual and celestial laws as well as natural laws. It was in this way that God could continue man's development, leading him into a truly spiritual life. What we are to understand in this was man's preparation to accept God's presence in flesh, that is, in the human form.
Until God's coming on earth, He was not to be seen as man except in appearances as in the form of an angel or as He appeared to Moses in the burning bush and in other ways. Aren't these seen as God's presence with man? Hadn't God said to Moses that He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Didn't the Israelites come to worship one unknown God and the natural man was prepared for God's presence?
The natural man is captive to falsities and evils. God made a covenant with man where the good of charity and the truth of faith can be known. Man had turned to live in the purely natural state so that he did not notice God's presence. As such, a man's life became a false and evil life. However, in this covenant God was calling man out from his sins. From the natural historical sense He does so in taking man out of Egypt and into the land of Canaan, which He had given to Abraham and his descendents, who, of course, became the natural or Israelitish Church. Now, in that land there were other nations that Israel must come into combat with and to overcome in order to have peace. However, in the internal or spiritual sense this speaks of spiritual battles and freedom from falsities and evils that were within the natural man, within the heart and the mind. Remember the mind was seen as a garden with food to eat and beauty for the eyes. Yet, there is an even more internal reason. It is seen, here, that God is leading man 'as it were' to return to that spiritual state where He is in his will and understanding. To where the genuine truths are known and where God is worshipped in truth.
Now, we know from history that the Israelites never completely conquered the land and so never became a true representative Church as was the spiritual Church. However, truth did lead man, in not only living according to the Commandments, but in worshiping one God.