Reuben - Those in the Light of Truth from Love to the Lord
By Rev. Paul Booth
Lessons: Genesis 29: 32; 30: 14-18 | Revelation 7: I-5 | The Apocalypse Explained 425[a], 434[a]
By Rev. Paul Booth
Lessons: Genesis 29: 32; 30: 14-18 | Revelation 7: I-5 | The Apocalypse Explained 425[a], 434[a]
Moreover it must be known that the truths which a man receives from the Word, and from doctrine and preaching from it, during his infancy and childhood, appear indeed to be truths, yet are not truths with him; they are only the shells without kernels; or like the form without soul and life. They do not become truths before they are received in the will, for they are first received by a man, and begin to live in him. For the will is the man himself, and all the good is of the will, and all the will is of the understanding thence. From these things the reason is clear why the tribe of Judah, which signifies the good of love to the Lord, is named first, and afterwards the tribe Reuben, which signifies truth in the light, from that good.
The Apocalypse Explained: 434 § 5
The Apocalypse Explained: 434 § 5
From our lessons and text we can see that the subject is concerning those who were not 'hurt' in the Last Judgment. The four angels are ready to lose the four winds that would harm the 'earth', 'sea', and 'trees'. Yet, this is stopped because those in the Church of the Lord would have perished along with the evil in that Last Judgment. There first must be a separation of the good from the evil. Now, to us, to the New Church, this separation and Last Judgment has already taken place, but to those who today claim they are the Christian Church and who still wait for the Last Judgment and the Lord to come again, there still is anticipated such an event.
In fact, they look for the Last Judgment to take place in this world. Yet, it is in the spiritual world that it has already taken place. We can see from our lessons that those who were in good were separated from those in evil before the evil is judged and comes into hell. The question is: how are the good separated from the evil? First let us establish what the quality is to be separated from evil.
Remember this did not take place in this natural world; it was in the spiritual world that the separation and judgment takes place, and in the spiritual world there is perception, thus there is revealed the true signification of these things, in this case of what the words 'earth', 'sea', and 'trees' in the literal sense of the written Word signify. These, in the spiritual world mean the ultimates of those in whom there is the Church of the Lord. By the earth and the sea is meant the internal and external of the Church. By trees is the man's perception that comes from doctrine or the Word and is his faith. But, what is the true internal and external Church that is not to be harmed?
In the Word's literal sense the Divine does not appear, thus, unless its spiritual sense is revealed through correspondences, one comes to understand fallacies and falsities, though very little truth. This can be confirmed by the tribe of Reuben, which signifies the faith of the Church, in that very few, are enlightened. "Let Reuben live, and not die; yet shall his sons be a number" (Deut. 33:6). "Reuben here means the understanding of the Word, enlightened by light from heaven; and because there are very few who receive enlightenment, it is therefore said, 'Yet shall his men be a number', number signifying fewness and a few" (Apocalypse Explained 434 § 14). So, it would appear that by the tribes of Israel or the sons of Jacob that it is that nation that is to be separated for the Lord. But, the Lord had said before His passion on the cross that that Church was (already) judged. "Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for their sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out" (John 12: 30, 31). If it was not, then why did He establish the (first) Christian Church?
Therefore, it is not the church of Israel that is meant, nor the tribe of Reuben that is to be separated before the Last Judgment was to come. We learn in reading our lesson in Apocalypse Explained that it is meant all those persons who are in the light of truth or in the faith of charity. Still, by Reuben is not meant all the universal essentials of the Church, but only one quality of it, which is that of faith, but of a faith from charity, not a faith in one's own understanding or faith alone.
The name 'Reuben' we learn means to see or to have sight. So, one who sees, has understanding and, thus faith. Spiritually it signifies faith; and, of course, from an interior thought there is meant the understanding. Thus, it is the quality of faith from the Lord that is but one of the universal essentials of the Lord's Church which are not to be 'hurt' or that was not to perish in the Last Judgment.
This quality of faith in one's life that makes the Church in man in order that the man becomes regenerated is of the light that comes from good, thus from heaven and is called faith from charity. Here, Reuben is that quality that is listed second, Judah first, while we know Reuben was the first-begotten of the sons of Jacob. Yet, it should be known that Judah signifies love to the Lord. Therefore, it is that Reuben or faith has its light from that love, which is of the Lord as is the light of heaven from the Sun of heaven from which flows love and truth.
However, because of our natural state faith is first and it can be said to be first while one is becoming regenerated, but when regenerated love or charity becomes first. Good is of love, but we reflect upon our thought from our memory and it is these truths in our memory that come from that good, for we perceive no quality except from truths. Thus, faith appears first in memory through our hearing where it enters our thought. However, good actually enters first, or is the first-begotten or first thing of the Church, for it is of the Lord while faith comes by way of good from the Lord, though it appears to be first. In other words, the Lord is the first of the Church in man, for love is the Lord and faith is from that love in man. If not, then our faith is our own and is in vain.
A man thinks he knows the truths from the Word, from doctrine and preaching; but, he doesn't, unless he receives them in his will, for then truths begin to live in him and, so, the Church in him begins. You can understand this when you know that the will is the man himself. In fact, it is said a man is his own love. That is where the good is, in his will, while truth is in his understanding. Of course, as we said, it is the light of heaven, which is from the Lord, that is of good; thus these two - good and truth - are one with the angels and are to be received by man as one before he is regenerated and has communication with angels. Otherwise a separation remains between him and heaven, between good and truth, even though he thinks he has the Lord's truths within him.
Therefore, in truth being first apparently and love to the Lord first actually there is revealed the marriage of good and truth in man which is the Church of the Lord. This spiritual truth can be seen in the story in how Reuben was conceived and born. "Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, because Jehovah has seen my affliction; now, therefore my man (vir) will love me" (Genesis 29: 32). We are told although the nativities of the sons Jacob are told literally, that spiritually they describe how good and truth are born in man while he is being regenerated by the Lord. Thus is one's spiritual conception and birth meant through a faith from charity or in light from truth. However, in the process to reach this spiritual rebirth man comes through affliction; we are not in nor have any good of our own and must shun evils as sins against the Lord and must often repent of them, thus, suffer the pains of conscience.
Now, the Church has an internal and external state; a Church is a Church because of the marriage of good and truth in man. As we saw, Reuben, which is meant that truth from good or faith from charity, signifies the external Church. This can be known because it was seen in the Word that Leah was the external of the Church and Rachel the internal and that Reuben was Leah's son, thus was truth that enters through one's natural senses. The case is the same today with man; faith comes through an external way and must be willed, before that faith comes from charity or from good, that is, from a love to the Lord. It is where truth first enters man that within him later can become a true Church. When this occurs it is called a marriage between good and truth and this makes the internal Church conjoined with the external and the man is regenerated.
A person while living in this natural world can live in the truth from light, that is, truth from good can live in the natural man. In other words, a person in this world has an inheritance outside the Church, for such truths are in this world from Lord through love to the Lord or charity. Thus, a man in this world, in the external Church, may serve Jehovah in common with those in heaven and the internal Church. While this has been revealed through the stories of the vastation of the church among the Israelites, it also refers to the separation of the natural man from the spiritual that came into separation in the Last Judgment. Anyone can see that they - the external truth - ought to be conjoined with the internal good, for then truths exist from good and they do by means of combat fought spiritually against falsities that are from evil. It is in this way that we, as natural, sensual, and corporeal men, must fight evil from the spiritual man.
On the one hand, there is in the quality of light from truth, which is from love to the Lord in which there comes a marriage of good and truth in man in that the Church of the Lord is within; and thus there is also a communication with angels and a conjunction with the Lord. On the other, there is the truths of the natural man in which there is no marriage of good and truth, and without such marriage the Church is destroyed. In this can be understood as adultery with evil has taken place, that is, one's faith is without charity. This is understood through the story of Reuben lying with Bilhah, that is, of faith conjoined with evil.
We now can begin to see how those in whom good and truth are conjoined are separated in the spiritual world from evil. It is that those in Heaven and those who come into Heaven receive an influx of goods and truths from the Lord and a life there from, along with all the other essentials of what make a Church true. It is the Lord's influx that 'as it were' gently leads man to see the Lord's love - His good and truth - so that these are born anew in him in a marriage. And, it is the same influx, though not modified or gentle, thus is said, "Saying, hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees" (Genesis 7: 3), but powerful so as the wind or the Lord's influx to blow 'as it were' and to destroy the evil in the Last Judgment upon those who had come into the spiritual world who have such a marriage between evil and falsity, and not between good and truth. This can be understood in this sense: that when those who love evil are judged, then the truth of heaven's influx is too strong and they flee good and truth to evil and falsity.
As was said this Last Judgment was not on the Israelitish Church, but on the Christian Church, and as we learned that only those whose qualities was that of the Lord's Church were saved and in particular in this case the quality of those who are in the light of truth from love to the Lord or of faith from charity. Thus, those in that light were separated from those that were not, those both called Christian and others. Therefore, there were also those who are called 'faithful' or Christian, but are not, who are among those who are judged and who descend into hell. One sees that the Church of the Lord, the New Church is the true Christian Church. This also is revealed in the Word's spiritual sense just as are good qualities. We can understand these two opposite qualities of faith as seen in the stories of Reuben. First, by Reuben's goodness can be seen in his exhorting his brothers not to kill Joseph, wishing to deliver him out of their hands and by his grieving exceedingly when Joseph was not found in the pit.
On the other hand, faith is the entrance into the natural man; he need only will it for there to be charity and where there is charity there is genuine truth with man. Reuben or faith in the opposite sense is also revealed in the Word's spiritual sense where "Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard of it" (Genesis 35: 22). Here, faith becomes separate from charity or the good of charity from the truths of faith. Not only is there an adultery or separation, but truth is profaned. In this the Christian Church was seen separating their faith from any goodness from the Lord.
It was therefore that a Last Judgment came in the spiritual world on all those who had the name Christian, but were not Christian. Those who had died before the Lord's second coming to the spiritual world, both the good and the evil, both those who where in the (Christian) Church and those who were not in it, if they had the qualities that make the true Church were "not hurt", while those whose qualities were not good went through the Last Judgment and were separated out from among the good as can be seen in the story of the sheep being separated from the goats.
Amen.
In fact, they look for the Last Judgment to take place in this world. Yet, it is in the spiritual world that it has already taken place. We can see from our lessons that those who were in good were separated from those in evil before the evil is judged and comes into hell. The question is: how are the good separated from the evil? First let us establish what the quality is to be separated from evil.
Remember this did not take place in this natural world; it was in the spiritual world that the separation and judgment takes place, and in the spiritual world there is perception, thus there is revealed the true signification of these things, in this case of what the words 'earth', 'sea', and 'trees' in the literal sense of the written Word signify. These, in the spiritual world mean the ultimates of those in whom there is the Church of the Lord. By the earth and the sea is meant the internal and external of the Church. By trees is the man's perception that comes from doctrine or the Word and is his faith. But, what is the true internal and external Church that is not to be harmed?
In the Word's literal sense the Divine does not appear, thus, unless its spiritual sense is revealed through correspondences, one comes to understand fallacies and falsities, though very little truth. This can be confirmed by the tribe of Reuben, which signifies the faith of the Church, in that very few, are enlightened. "Let Reuben live, and not die; yet shall his sons be a number" (Deut. 33:6). "Reuben here means the understanding of the Word, enlightened by light from heaven; and because there are very few who receive enlightenment, it is therefore said, 'Yet shall his men be a number', number signifying fewness and a few" (Apocalypse Explained 434 § 14). So, it would appear that by the tribes of Israel or the sons of Jacob that it is that nation that is to be separated for the Lord. But, the Lord had said before His passion on the cross that that Church was (already) judged. "Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for their sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out" (John 12: 30, 31). If it was not, then why did He establish the (first) Christian Church?
Therefore, it is not the church of Israel that is meant, nor the tribe of Reuben that is to be separated before the Last Judgment was to come. We learn in reading our lesson in Apocalypse Explained that it is meant all those persons who are in the light of truth or in the faith of charity. Still, by Reuben is not meant all the universal essentials of the Church, but only one quality of it, which is that of faith, but of a faith from charity, not a faith in one's own understanding or faith alone.
The name 'Reuben' we learn means to see or to have sight. So, one who sees, has understanding and, thus faith. Spiritually it signifies faith; and, of course, from an interior thought there is meant the understanding. Thus, it is the quality of faith from the Lord that is but one of the universal essentials of the Lord's Church which are not to be 'hurt' or that was not to perish in the Last Judgment.
This quality of faith in one's life that makes the Church in man in order that the man becomes regenerated is of the light that comes from good, thus from heaven and is called faith from charity. Here, Reuben is that quality that is listed second, Judah first, while we know Reuben was the first-begotten of the sons of Jacob. Yet, it should be known that Judah signifies love to the Lord. Therefore, it is that Reuben or faith has its light from that love, which is of the Lord as is the light of heaven from the Sun of heaven from which flows love and truth.
However, because of our natural state faith is first and it can be said to be first while one is becoming regenerated, but when regenerated love or charity becomes first. Good is of love, but we reflect upon our thought from our memory and it is these truths in our memory that come from that good, for we perceive no quality except from truths. Thus, faith appears first in memory through our hearing where it enters our thought. However, good actually enters first, or is the first-begotten or first thing of the Church, for it is of the Lord while faith comes by way of good from the Lord, though it appears to be first. In other words, the Lord is the first of the Church in man, for love is the Lord and faith is from that love in man. If not, then our faith is our own and is in vain.
A man thinks he knows the truths from the Word, from doctrine and preaching; but, he doesn't, unless he receives them in his will, for then truths begin to live in him and, so, the Church in him begins. You can understand this when you know that the will is the man himself. In fact, it is said a man is his own love. That is where the good is, in his will, while truth is in his understanding. Of course, as we said, it is the light of heaven, which is from the Lord, that is of good; thus these two - good and truth - are one with the angels and are to be received by man as one before he is regenerated and has communication with angels. Otherwise a separation remains between him and heaven, between good and truth, even though he thinks he has the Lord's truths within him.
Therefore, in truth being first apparently and love to the Lord first actually there is revealed the marriage of good and truth in man which is the Church of the Lord. This spiritual truth can be seen in the story in how Reuben was conceived and born. "Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, because Jehovah has seen my affliction; now, therefore my man (vir) will love me" (Genesis 29: 32). We are told although the nativities of the sons Jacob are told literally, that spiritually they describe how good and truth are born in man while he is being regenerated by the Lord. Thus is one's spiritual conception and birth meant through a faith from charity or in light from truth. However, in the process to reach this spiritual rebirth man comes through affliction; we are not in nor have any good of our own and must shun evils as sins against the Lord and must often repent of them, thus, suffer the pains of conscience.
Now, the Church has an internal and external state; a Church is a Church because of the marriage of good and truth in man. As we saw, Reuben, which is meant that truth from good or faith from charity, signifies the external Church. This can be known because it was seen in the Word that Leah was the external of the Church and Rachel the internal and that Reuben was Leah's son, thus was truth that enters through one's natural senses. The case is the same today with man; faith comes through an external way and must be willed, before that faith comes from charity or from good, that is, from a love to the Lord. It is where truth first enters man that within him later can become a true Church. When this occurs it is called a marriage between good and truth and this makes the internal Church conjoined with the external and the man is regenerated.
A person while living in this natural world can live in the truth from light, that is, truth from good can live in the natural man. In other words, a person in this world has an inheritance outside the Church, for such truths are in this world from Lord through love to the Lord or charity. Thus, a man in this world, in the external Church, may serve Jehovah in common with those in heaven and the internal Church. While this has been revealed through the stories of the vastation of the church among the Israelites, it also refers to the separation of the natural man from the spiritual that came into separation in the Last Judgment. Anyone can see that they - the external truth - ought to be conjoined with the internal good, for then truths exist from good and they do by means of combat fought spiritually against falsities that are from evil. It is in this way that we, as natural, sensual, and corporeal men, must fight evil from the spiritual man.
On the one hand, there is in the quality of light from truth, which is from love to the Lord in which there comes a marriage of good and truth in man in that the Church of the Lord is within; and thus there is also a communication with angels and a conjunction with the Lord. On the other, there is the truths of the natural man in which there is no marriage of good and truth, and without such marriage the Church is destroyed. In this can be understood as adultery with evil has taken place, that is, one's faith is without charity. This is understood through the story of Reuben lying with Bilhah, that is, of faith conjoined with evil.
We now can begin to see how those in whom good and truth are conjoined are separated in the spiritual world from evil. It is that those in Heaven and those who come into Heaven receive an influx of goods and truths from the Lord and a life there from, along with all the other essentials of what make a Church true. It is the Lord's influx that 'as it were' gently leads man to see the Lord's love - His good and truth - so that these are born anew in him in a marriage. And, it is the same influx, though not modified or gentle, thus is said, "Saying, hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees" (Genesis 7: 3), but powerful so as the wind or the Lord's influx to blow 'as it were' and to destroy the evil in the Last Judgment upon those who had come into the spiritual world who have such a marriage between evil and falsity, and not between good and truth. This can be understood in this sense: that when those who love evil are judged, then the truth of heaven's influx is too strong and they flee good and truth to evil and falsity.
As was said this Last Judgment was not on the Israelitish Church, but on the Christian Church, and as we learned that only those whose qualities was that of the Lord's Church were saved and in particular in this case the quality of those who are in the light of truth from love to the Lord or of faith from charity. Thus, those in that light were separated from those that were not, those both called Christian and others. Therefore, there were also those who are called 'faithful' or Christian, but are not, who are among those who are judged and who descend into hell. One sees that the Church of the Lord, the New Church is the true Christian Church. This also is revealed in the Word's spiritual sense just as are good qualities. We can understand these two opposite qualities of faith as seen in the stories of Reuben. First, by Reuben's goodness can be seen in his exhorting his brothers not to kill Joseph, wishing to deliver him out of their hands and by his grieving exceedingly when Joseph was not found in the pit.
On the other hand, faith is the entrance into the natural man; he need only will it for there to be charity and where there is charity there is genuine truth with man. Reuben or faith in the opposite sense is also revealed in the Word's spiritual sense where "Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard of it" (Genesis 35: 22). Here, faith becomes separate from charity or the good of charity from the truths of faith. Not only is there an adultery or separation, but truth is profaned. In this the Christian Church was seen separating their faith from any goodness from the Lord.
It was therefore that a Last Judgment came in the spiritual world on all those who had the name Christian, but were not Christian. Those who had died before the Lord's second coming to the spiritual world, both the good and the evil, both those who where in the (Christian) Church and those who were not in it, if they had the qualities that make the true Church were "not hurt", while those whose qualities were not good went through the Last Judgment and were separated out from among the good as can be seen in the story of the sheep being separated from the goats.
Amen.
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