Session Four
The Lord's Subjugation of the Hells and His Glorification of His Human - Part 2
The Lord's Subjugation of the Hells and His Glorification of His Human - Part 2
It is also known that the Lord came into the world because the world, that is, mankind was no longer living according to Divine order, basically the Commandments, and would have perished unless the Lord had come. In fact, we can read where the Lord says that the Word was made of no effect. Any scholar of the Word of God would even know that not only the earth, but Heaven as well was not in order; for in a literal understanding had not Lucifer fell from Heaven? Now, in the Lord's Coming, He had combated with the hells, that again, was infecting everyone when he was born and on his departure upon his death. The Word plainly speaks of the Lord's glorification and that He lived the commandments perfectly. In other words, He became Righteousness Himself and so, saved mankind.
[2] It is foretold in many passages in the Prophets that the Lord came into the world to reduce to order all things in the Heavens and thence on earth; and that this was effected by combats against the hells, which were then infesting every man on his entrance into, and departure out of, the world; and further that He thereby became righteousness and saved mankind, who otherwise could not have been saved. A few only of these passages shall be adduced:
The Word confirms this. We read:
[2] In Isaiah:
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozra? this that is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
What is meant by Edom is that the Lord as the Truth comes, and as such, is the human essence. (The Truth, that is the Word, became flesh, that is, human.) It is what being human is, but, also, because it is the Lord's human that is spoken of here, there is infinite strength and power. Basically, it refers to His love or to Divine goodness from which truth comes.
Garments are that what is without or that covers what is within. We can begin to see how that what is meant is the Lord's natural human that He put upon coming to the earth. This, of course, means the external or natural of man; it is the man's natural state that he had fallen into.
By His garments being dyed or stained from Bozra vine-vats refers to being stained by the falsification of truths, not from the vines or grapes of Bozrah, for does not wine or the vine in the Word mean truths and in the opposite sense falsities? And haven't men killed the truth, by falsifying it? Now, when you realize what happens to God's truths when they are falsified, you begin to see what is referred to here, concerns His truths. So, Good and Truth comes to the world and is made flesh, that He can be attacked by evils and falsities as everyone is. We know, of course, it is the Lord Himself (The Lord cannot be divided.) that comes and that He has all strength and power to save. And, that He puts on the glorious apparel, which is the His Natural Human becoming Divine.
[2] Continued. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
A question is asked here and a Christian knows that the Lord's clothes are red from battle against the hells. They are the combats that the Lord has fought in order to save man. So, it is not too difficult to see that something spiritual is meant, for trampling grapes in a 'winefat' or press when angry makes no sense in relation to His coming to save mankind. But, look at the vineyard as being the Church and, of course, you see that the Lord has been with the Church in His goodness and truthfulness. Now, ask yourself, if you yourself have destroyed and overcome the evils and falsities that are within you or is it the Lord who does? So, then, who gives the victory to save? Isn't it the Lord?
[2] Continued. I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the people there was no man (vir) with me: for I have trodden them in mine anger, and have trampled them in My fury: so their victory was sprinkled upon my garments. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come . . . I brought down their victory to the earth.
When the Word speaks of a 'day', then you know that a state is meant. Now, what is the state that is meant by this event - the day the Lord alone fought against evils and falsities? Isn't it a state of damnation?
In the Word one sees that anger and vengeance is sometimes attributed to God and that He casts those into hell. Yet, it is they who are evil that breathe vengeance against the Lord, isn't it? After all by their life of evil they have damned themselves.
Thus, by the Lord's redemption of man that we see that one is vindicated and liberated. One - vindication - is from evil, the other - liberation - from falsities. Thus, we know that the Lord is the Redeemer because He put on the human and by His own power He bought us salvation.
[2] Continued. He said, Surely they are my people, children [that will not lie]: so He was their Savor. In His love and in His pity He redeemed them.
Isaiah lxiii 1-9.
It is said, in His love and pity that He redeems. What is this love? Isn't it His life? Therefore, do not make the mistake that by His death alone that He saves. Isn't love the essential of life and that the effort of love is to take on the Human form which is the image and likeness that we are to be made into? So, it is not in the Lord's death on the cross, but in His life that He saves or redeems us. In His pity there is compassion - an affection of love. What is meant, here, is mercy that comes from love. Here, doesn't the Lord by giving His goodness and truthfulness to us give us life? And, are not we regenerated and receive life more abundant?
These words are written concerning the Lord's combats against the hells. By the apparel in which He was glorious, which was red, is meant the Word, to which violence was done by the Jewish people. The combats itself against the hells, and the victory over them, is described by His treading them in His anger, and trampling them in His fury. That He fought alone and from His own power is described by these words: Of the people there was no man with me . . . mine own arm brought salvation unto me . . . I brought down their victory to the earth. That He thereby saved and redeemed mankind, is described by these words: So He was their Savor: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them. That this was the cause of His Coming is described by these words: The day if vengeance is in mine heart, an the year if my redeemed is come.
To this it can be said that Good or Love is the essence and that Wisdom or Truth is the existence and, of course, by coming to the earth was the use that goods and truths are in. Are not we made into the Lord's image and likeness, which is in His love and wisdom? So, by putting on the natural human of mankind and glorifying it we are redeemed by His Divine Human, thus was His natural Human made Divine as His Spiritual and Celestial.
The whole of the Word points to His Coming as the day of vengeance.
[3] Again in Isaiah:
He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore His own arm brought salvation unto Him; and His righteousness, it sustained Him.
For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon His head: and He put on the garments of vengeance, and was clad with zeal as a cloak . . . Then He came to Zion, the Redeemer. Isaiah lix 16, 17, 20.
The power to save is often referred to as the coming of truth i.e., that the truth shall set you free. And, of course, no one would say that the Lord is not all powerful, being Omnipotent. Yet, truth by itself is not that power which is meant, but it is by God's Goodness of Love by the means of Divine Truth from the Lord that means that Power. In fact, all creation comes from the Lord and so, man comes into Heaven only by that divine power. Thus, it is by His 'own arm' or by His own power that has brought mankind salvation. The Lord while having put on the natural human, therefore, became good or righteous through temptations, combats, and victories, and thus, by His own power He became Righteousness Itself, that is, the Divine Human. So, it is by His continual combats and victories within Himself while on earth, in His human, He became infinite Divine, thus putting off the human of mankind. By the helmet of salvation is meant the divine truth from divine good by which salvation becomes effective.
By coming to Zion He came to the Heavens and the Church bringing order again to them.
We see that:
These words are also written concerning the Lord's combats against the hells when He was in the world. That He fought against them alone from His own power, is meant by, "He saw that there was no man; therefore His own arm brought salvation to Him." That thereby He became righteousness is described by, "His righteousness, it sustained Him: for He put on righteousness as a breastplate" ; and that He thus redeemed mankind, by "Then He came to Zion, the Redeemer."
[4] In Jeremiah:
They are dismayed . . . their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back . . . For this is the day of the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth, a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Him of His adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiated.
Who cannot see that the Lord did not take up the sword and destroy or 'devour' those who were evil? By sword, in the Word, is meant the truth of faith which combats against evils and thus, makes an end of falsities. When the Lord is called Jehovih Zebaoth, then He is referred to as an army or a host and one can understand that the only army 'as it were' of the Lord's are the truths and goods that go to establish the Church and Heaven. Mighty 'ones' are those on earth that reign over a man's heart and mind - the evils and falsities.
[4] Continued. The Lord's combat with the hells and His victory over them are described by these words: They are dismayed . . . their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and have not looked back. Their mighty ones and the adversaries denote the hells, because all there entertain hatred against the Lord. His Coming into the world for this purpose is meant by these words: This is the day of the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth, a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Him of His adversaries.
[5] Again in Jeremiah:
Her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men (viri) of war shall be cut off in that day. Jeremiah xlix 26.
In Joel:
Jehovah hath uttered His voice before His army . . . for the day of Jehovah is great and very terrible; who then shall abide? Joel ii 11.
In Zephaniah:
In the day of the sacrifice of Jehovah, I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.
That day is a day . . . of distress . . . a day of the trumpet and shout of alarm.
Zephaniah I 8, 15, 16.
In Zechariah:
Then shall Jehovah go forth, and fight against the nations, as when He fought in the day of battle. And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem.
Then shall ye flee to the valley of my mountains . . . In that day there shall not be light and brightness. And Jehovah shall be King over all the earth; in that day shall there be one Jehovah, and His name One. Zechariah xiv 3-6, 9.
This is referring to the Lord's Coming. It is Him bringing truths and goodness into the world where evil and falsities had ruled, for is not this meant by 'light' - truth - and did not the Lord's garment shine with brightness as He stood on the Mount? And, further, did not the princes of this world fall when the Lord by His life overcome them?
[4] Continued. In these places also the Lord's combats are treated of: by that day, is meant His Coming. The Mount of Olives, which was before Jerusalem, was the place where the Lord wont to tarry. See Mark xiii 3; xiv 26; Luke xxi 37; xxii 39; John viii 1; and elsewhere.
There are many more places in Psalms where is shown the Lord's coming and His combats against the hells and their subjugation and that He glorified His Human. These can be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord 14 [6].
End.
[2] It is foretold in many passages in the Prophets that the Lord came into the world to reduce to order all things in the Heavens and thence on earth; and that this was effected by combats against the hells, which were then infesting every man on his entrance into, and departure out of, the world; and further that He thereby became righteousness and saved mankind, who otherwise could not have been saved. A few only of these passages shall be adduced:
The Word confirms this. We read:
[2] In Isaiah:
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozra? this that is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
What is meant by Edom is that the Lord as the Truth comes, and as such, is the human essence. (The Truth, that is the Word, became flesh, that is, human.) It is what being human is, but, also, because it is the Lord's human that is spoken of here, there is infinite strength and power. Basically, it refers to His love or to Divine goodness from which truth comes.
Garments are that what is without or that covers what is within. We can begin to see how that what is meant is the Lord's natural human that He put upon coming to the earth. This, of course, means the external or natural of man; it is the man's natural state that he had fallen into.
By His garments being dyed or stained from Bozra vine-vats refers to being stained by the falsification of truths, not from the vines or grapes of Bozrah, for does not wine or the vine in the Word mean truths and in the opposite sense falsities? And haven't men killed the truth, by falsifying it? Now, when you realize what happens to God's truths when they are falsified, you begin to see what is referred to here, concerns His truths. So, Good and Truth comes to the world and is made flesh, that He can be attacked by evils and falsities as everyone is. We know, of course, it is the Lord Himself (The Lord cannot be divided.) that comes and that He has all strength and power to save. And, that He puts on the glorious apparel, which is the His Natural Human becoming Divine.
[2] Continued. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
A question is asked here and a Christian knows that the Lord's clothes are red from battle against the hells. They are the combats that the Lord has fought in order to save man. So, it is not too difficult to see that something spiritual is meant, for trampling grapes in a 'winefat' or press when angry makes no sense in relation to His coming to save mankind. But, look at the vineyard as being the Church and, of course, you see that the Lord has been with the Church in His goodness and truthfulness. Now, ask yourself, if you yourself have destroyed and overcome the evils and falsities that are within you or is it the Lord who does? So, then, who gives the victory to save? Isn't it the Lord?
[2] Continued. I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the people there was no man (vir) with me: for I have trodden them in mine anger, and have trampled them in My fury: so their victory was sprinkled upon my garments. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come . . . I brought down their victory to the earth.
When the Word speaks of a 'day', then you know that a state is meant. Now, what is the state that is meant by this event - the day the Lord alone fought against evils and falsities? Isn't it a state of damnation?
In the Word one sees that anger and vengeance is sometimes attributed to God and that He casts those into hell. Yet, it is they who are evil that breathe vengeance against the Lord, isn't it? After all by their life of evil they have damned themselves.
Thus, by the Lord's redemption of man that we see that one is vindicated and liberated. One - vindication - is from evil, the other - liberation - from falsities. Thus, we know that the Lord is the Redeemer because He put on the human and by His own power He bought us salvation.
[2] Continued. He said, Surely they are my people, children [that will not lie]: so He was their Savor. In His love and in His pity He redeemed them.
Isaiah lxiii 1-9.
It is said, in His love and pity that He redeems. What is this love? Isn't it His life? Therefore, do not make the mistake that by His death alone that He saves. Isn't love the essential of life and that the effort of love is to take on the Human form which is the image and likeness that we are to be made into? So, it is not in the Lord's death on the cross, but in His life that He saves or redeems us. In His pity there is compassion - an affection of love. What is meant, here, is mercy that comes from love. Here, doesn't the Lord by giving His goodness and truthfulness to us give us life? And, are not we regenerated and receive life more abundant?
These words are written concerning the Lord's combats against the hells. By the apparel in which He was glorious, which was red, is meant the Word, to which violence was done by the Jewish people. The combats itself against the hells, and the victory over them, is described by His treading them in His anger, and trampling them in His fury. That He fought alone and from His own power is described by these words: Of the people there was no man with me . . . mine own arm brought salvation unto me . . . I brought down their victory to the earth. That He thereby saved and redeemed mankind, is described by these words: So He was their Savor: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them. That this was the cause of His Coming is described by these words: The day if vengeance is in mine heart, an the year if my redeemed is come.
To this it can be said that Good or Love is the essence and that Wisdom or Truth is the existence and, of course, by coming to the earth was the use that goods and truths are in. Are not we made into the Lord's image and likeness, which is in His love and wisdom? So, by putting on the natural human of mankind and glorifying it we are redeemed by His Divine Human, thus was His natural Human made Divine as His Spiritual and Celestial.
The whole of the Word points to His Coming as the day of vengeance.
[3] Again in Isaiah:
He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore His own arm brought salvation unto Him; and His righteousness, it sustained Him.
For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon His head: and He put on the garments of vengeance, and was clad with zeal as a cloak . . . Then He came to Zion, the Redeemer. Isaiah lix 16, 17, 20.
The power to save is often referred to as the coming of truth i.e., that the truth shall set you free. And, of course, no one would say that the Lord is not all powerful, being Omnipotent. Yet, truth by itself is not that power which is meant, but it is by God's Goodness of Love by the means of Divine Truth from the Lord that means that Power. In fact, all creation comes from the Lord and so, man comes into Heaven only by that divine power. Thus, it is by His 'own arm' or by His own power that has brought mankind salvation. The Lord while having put on the natural human, therefore, became good or righteous through temptations, combats, and victories, and thus, by His own power He became Righteousness Itself, that is, the Divine Human. So, it is by His continual combats and victories within Himself while on earth, in His human, He became infinite Divine, thus putting off the human of mankind. By the helmet of salvation is meant the divine truth from divine good by which salvation becomes effective.
By coming to Zion He came to the Heavens and the Church bringing order again to them.
We see that:
These words are also written concerning the Lord's combats against the hells when He was in the world. That He fought against them alone from His own power, is meant by, "He saw that there was no man; therefore His own arm brought salvation to Him." That thereby He became righteousness is described by, "His righteousness, it sustained Him: for He put on righteousness as a breastplate" ; and that He thus redeemed mankind, by "Then He came to Zion, the Redeemer."
[4] In Jeremiah:
They are dismayed . . . their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back . . . For this is the day of the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth, a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Him of His adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiated.
Who cannot see that the Lord did not take up the sword and destroy or 'devour' those who were evil? By sword, in the Word, is meant the truth of faith which combats against evils and thus, makes an end of falsities. When the Lord is called Jehovih Zebaoth, then He is referred to as an army or a host and one can understand that the only army 'as it were' of the Lord's are the truths and goods that go to establish the Church and Heaven. Mighty 'ones' are those on earth that reign over a man's heart and mind - the evils and falsities.
[4] Continued. The Lord's combat with the hells and His victory over them are described by these words: They are dismayed . . . their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and have not looked back. Their mighty ones and the adversaries denote the hells, because all there entertain hatred against the Lord. His Coming into the world for this purpose is meant by these words: This is the day of the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth, a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Him of His adversaries.
[5] Again in Jeremiah:
Her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men (viri) of war shall be cut off in that day. Jeremiah xlix 26.
In Joel:
Jehovah hath uttered His voice before His army . . . for the day of Jehovah is great and very terrible; who then shall abide? Joel ii 11.
In Zephaniah:
In the day of the sacrifice of Jehovah, I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.
That day is a day . . . of distress . . . a day of the trumpet and shout of alarm.
Zephaniah I 8, 15, 16.
In Zechariah:
Then shall Jehovah go forth, and fight against the nations, as when He fought in the day of battle. And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem.
Then shall ye flee to the valley of my mountains . . . In that day there shall not be light and brightness. And Jehovah shall be King over all the earth; in that day shall there be one Jehovah, and His name One. Zechariah xiv 3-6, 9.
This is referring to the Lord's Coming. It is Him bringing truths and goodness into the world where evil and falsities had ruled, for is not this meant by 'light' - truth - and did not the Lord's garment shine with brightness as He stood on the Mount? And, further, did not the princes of this world fall when the Lord by His life overcome them?
[4] Continued. In these places also the Lord's combats are treated of: by that day, is meant His Coming. The Mount of Olives, which was before Jerusalem, was the place where the Lord wont to tarry. See Mark xiii 3; xiv 26; Luke xxi 37; xxii 39; John viii 1; and elsewhere.
There are many more places in Psalms where is shown the Lord's coming and His combats against the hells and their subjugation and that He glorified His Human. These can be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord 14 [6].
End.
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